


Rewards

by Immortal_Magic_Freak



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Family/Pack, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Pack Mom Stiles, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-07
Updated: 2014-12-31
Packaged: 2018-02-20 07:46:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 38
Words: 55,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2420723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Immortal_Magic_Freak/pseuds/Immortal_Magic_Freak
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stiles finds that many members of the Pack are not being recognised for their achievements. Not even by Derek! So, what does he do? Takes those member to celebrate any way they want! The question is: will it give Derek the kick up the arse he needs, or will Stiles' efforts go unnoticed as well? And what will happen after Stiles fixes everything? Especially between him and Derek...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Authors Note: HEYO! XD Please, please tell me what you think; I would love to know XD I own nothing and no one, apart from: Gregory Duff.
> 
> JUST SO YOU KNOW: like everyone else, I have no idea what Stiles' real name is, so I'm going along with what everyone else puts :) and I've made his middle name up XD I also made up the rest of the Pack's middle names.
> 
> I haven't gotten a response to any of my fics like I have to this one, so uh...THANK YOU SO, SO MUCH EVERYONE! I love you all – in a totally non-weird, non-creepy way :3
> 
> Please review XD

** Stiles **

When it came to the Pack, I would say that we all made sure that everyone was included and cared for. We all made sure that any accomplishments made by the Pack – especially those of the wolves – were rewarded and properly acknowledged... Of course it wasn't always like that.

There was a time before the Pack was as awesome as it was now – though still quite awesome – where it was up to me and me alone to make sure the wolves got the praise they deserved. Don't get me wrong, I liked doing it; I was glad that I got to be the one to say ' _congratulations_ '. It just wasn't fair on them.


	2. Erica

** Stiles **

It was Monday 17th September 2012. School was as boring as always, Scott was sucking Allison's face off every chance he got... Yeah, just boring, old, regular school. What made it worse? Harris gave me detention on Friday for no good reason! _Again_! I swear, the guy hated me! I didn't care what my dad said; the guy had it out for me!

So that _may_ have been why I wasn't in the best of moods when I walked out of the school building at lunch. Well, that is, until I saw Erica sitting on the steps leading up to the front doors to the building of _Hell_! Sure, I was used to seeing her outside on the steps now. But not like this. Not looking so...so pushed aside. All of my anger melted away then, just leaving a growing concern for a girl who was quickly becoming a friend.

"Erica?" I asked, sitting next to her, putting my backpack on the step below me, keeping hold of the handle. "Everything ok?"

The blonde turned towards me, smiling a little. But I knew that smile. I was kind of the 'I'm not ok, but I don't want anyone to worry about me' smile. I _invented_ that smile. Ok, well, maybe that was a little exaggerated...

"Yeah, I'm fine." she replied, softly. "Don't worry about it."

"Bullshit, tell me what's wrong." I demanded. "I won't take 'no' or 'nothing' as an answer. I will sit here and bug you and talk until you give up and tell me. You know I will. You know that I will talk your ear off. Huh, can that actually happen? Can you talk somebody's ear off? _Man_ , that would be cool if you could! Could you imagine that? Just a random ear on the ground. Don't you think that's a weird word, ground? But I suppose all words are weird... Hey, do you..."

"Alright, I'll tell you!"

I grinned to myself. ADHD made it so much easier to get people to cave! Go me! I noticed how Erica smiled a little, probably just a bit amused at my ramblings. I mean, who couldn't be? Oh, right, certain broody, scowly, grumpy, extremely hot werewolf Alpha's, who liked to jump through windows instead of using doors and slamming people – _me_ – up against walls...which really didn't help that teeny, weenie, little, iddy, bitty crush-thing...

I sat there, waiting for Erica to start. Despite what many people thought, I was an excellent listener. My ADHD just masked that, because it _made_ me talk excessively. It wasn't my fault I was so damn annoying! The blonde sighed, the smile dropping from her face as she turned slightly to look at me better.

"I was able to control my shift on the last full moon." she told me.

"What?! That's amazing!" I yelled. "You should be proud and happy, not depressed and frowny! Why are you all depressed and frowny?!"

Erica mumbled something, but because I was not a wolfy wolf, I had no fucking clue what the hell she had said. Sighing myself this time, I just gave her a look, raising my eyebrows at her. Honestly, these guys seriously needed to remember I was human, not a wolf like them.

"I said: it's not like anyone noticed." Erica repeated. "I know Derek has to make sure Boyd, Isaac and Jackson are ok...but a bit of recognition would be nice. You know? Just for once."

And didn't that just break your heart?! A massive achievement for one of the Betas, and she didn't even get a well done? Not on my watch! To hell if I was going to stand by and just let it slide by.

"Well, screw Derek." I said. "You know what? You decide how you want to celebrate and after school, we'll go do it. If you still can't decide by then, then we'll just drive around town until you spot something you wanna do. Sound good?"

"You would really do that?" Erica asked, surprised. "For me?"

"Course I would! Why wouldn't I?"

"What about Derek? He always comes to collect Isaac, Boyd and me like we're fifth graders."

Of course. Derek had ended up taking the three in, becoming their guardian – legally, duh! He didn't want to be arrested again, certainly not for kidnapping. It was just a good thing that the Hale house had been rebuilt – don't even get me started on that!

"Text him that you're going somewhere after school and you'll get a lift back." I suggested. "You can get Boyd or Isaac to remind him at the end of the day."

Erica smiled then. It was the first proper smile I had seen her give since she was pulled into the werewolf life. A smile that reminded me of the old Erica – in a good way. It made her look younger and it just...tugged at something inside of me ok? I don't care how girly it sounded, it was true! That feeling grew as she pulled me into a hug, pressing her face into the side of my neck – I had learnt to just accept this when it came to the wolves.

"You're the best, Stiles." she whispered.

"Pfft, I know." was my only reply.

* * *

For the rest of the day, I was thinking of what Erica would get us to do. It didn't matter to me, if I was being honest. It lifted my mood a great deal from that morning, and I barely even noticed when Scott ditched me – again – for Allison.

When the end of the day finally did roll around, I found Erica by my Jeep, standing there a little unsurely. As if I would tell her to piss off, that I had only been kidding. Please! Like _I_ would do that!

"Catwoman!" I greeted, grinning. "Decided yet?"

Erica shook her head, wringing her hands together. This was not the Erica I had started to get to know.

"Ok, that's fine." I nodded. "Come on, hope in. We'll take a look around town."

It was about five minutes later and Erica still had no idea. It made me wonder if she had actually had this happen to her before. If someone had actually taken the time to show her that he efforts had been noticed. That she was recognised for doing something.

Looking over at her, she really did seem so much younger that she actually was. She was only a few months older than me, but she was still older. But right now, she didn't seem seventeen. More like twelve, or something. The sight really did break your heart.

"Hey," I spoke up after a few more laps of the town. "How about we go to the mall? Just shop or whatever? Then if you want to do something else later, we can."

Erica turned to look at me so fast I thought she would get whiplash. Until I remembered, werewolf. Duh.

"Did you just _willingly_ off to go on a shopping spree with me?" she asked, stunned. "Seriously?"

"Yeah..." I replied. "I'm no stranger to shopping. Can't say I'll be on any help though, but I can give it a go. What do you say?"

Erica nodded so quickly, I was surprised I could even see her head moving.

* * *

Since it was Monday afternoon, the mall wasn't so busy. As soon as we were out of the Jeep, Erica had practically grabbed me by the hand and dragged me into the first store she spotted, running all the way. I couldn't help but laugh.

I really didn't think that she would ask me for my opinion on _everything_. I mean, seriously, anything she found she asked what I thought of it. Not kidding! Even the really fuggly stuff...

"You know, Stiles," Erica beamed as we walked to another store. "You really need to come with Allison, Lydia and me on our shopping trips. You're a bigger help then you think."

"Hey, I may be Bi, but that doesn't mean I can deal with going to the mall every other day." I replied, not thinking before I opened my mouth.

"You're Bi?!"

This was why I needed a brain to mouth filter. I wonder if those actually exist...

"Um..." was the only thing I could think of to say.

"When were you going to tell me this? Does anyone else know? Are you really Bi?!" Erica rushed.

"Ok, first of all, please lower your voice! I wasn't going to tell anyone yet, so please keep it to yourself, the only person that knows so far is my dad...and now you. He didn't believe me when I told him, until we were watching Thor the other night at caught me staring a bit too long at Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston. But can you blame me? Anyway! Yes, I really am...though if I had to choose, I probably sway more towards guys, to be honest."

Erica stared at me, eyes wide, but grinning madly like she had just won the lottery.

"You are so being my Gay Best Friend!" she told me, leaving no room for arguments. "And your first duty as GBF: help me find a new outfit."

* * *

Never, in my whole life, did I ever think that would happen. _Ever_! I mean, pretty much the first thing I picked out and showed Erica? Yeah, she basically fell in love with it straight away... It was scary. So much squealing... Hell! She somehow roped me into buying things for myself!

By the end of it, after all the bags were in the back of my Jeep, we grabbed a Starbucks before heading over to Derek's place – white chocolate mochas with sugar were amazing, I don't care what you say!

Erica had been thanking me nonstop from the moment we got to the mall and was still going as we pulled up in front of the newly rebuilt Hale House. I just rolled my eyes and told her that she didn't have to thank me, she was my friend. I helped get out the bags – she had more than could fit in her hands since one still had her salted caramel latte – and we walked slowly to the front door. Which – not that big of a surprise – opened before we were even half way there. I could already feel the glare as I continued to talk and laugh with Erica, not that I bothered to acknowledge it. I was used to it by now; it didn't faze me...as much as before.

"Really, Stiles, thank you!" Erica persisted. "You really didn't have to."

"Yes I did, not stop thanking me." I smiled. "Geez, I'm supposed to be the annoying one, remember."

"Oh, shut up! You're still the best though."

"I know."

As soon as we reached the house properly, Boyd came into view, taking most of the bags Erica had hold of. I placed mine just inside the door, not wanting to risk pushing them into Derek's hands. Before I had even stood up to my full height, Erica was already hugging me again, squeezing just this side of too tight. But it was fine. I was getting used to that.

When she let me go and disappeared inside, I made my way back to my Jeep, giving my usual salute to the Alpha himself, since he was still standing in the doorway, scowling. Man, Sourwolf really needed a hug to get over his grumpiness.


	3. Boyd

** Stiles **

The next time it happened, it was Saturday 22nd September 2012.

I was quite happily sitting in my room, on my bed, reading. Yeah, that's right, I read. And not just bout werewolves and other supernatural shit. I read for fun! Like proper books, not just comics. At this moment in time, Harry Potter was my chosen series. Anyone who hated it was obviously a silly muggle! No one really knew about my passion for reading, since they never really had time to stop and ask me about the things I liked.

But anyway, yeah, sitting in my room, happily reading. When my cell phone went off. Sighing a little, I placed my bookmark between the pages – I would never dog-ear pages, that was just... _no_! Reaching over to the table beside my bed, I patted around blindly for my cell, managing to knock it off, on to the floor. Sighing, yet again, I leant over the side of my bed, grabbing my cell after looking for it, again, blindly. I looked down at the screen as I sat back up properly. It was just a text.

**_Erica:_ ** _Have you seen Boyd? No one can find him and he's not answering his cell... I'm worried, Stiles!_

Ok, that was strange... Boyd could _never_ _not_ answer Erica's texts or calls. He was too head over heels for her! Frowning, I stood up from my bed, searching for my sneakers as I texted the blonde back, saying that I would drive around, to see if I could find him.

* * *

You could imagine my surprise when I found Boyd walking down my street, as soon as I stepped outside of the house. I was relieved, sure! But there was still the question of _why_ he just up and left, without saying anything to anyone.

When he saw me, the guy walked over, shoulders slumped and hands shoved deep into the pockets of his jeans. I leant against the door that I had just closed as he got closer, head hanging down.

"What's up, man?" I asked, trying to sound as casual as I could – of course it failed, it was me.

Boyd just shook his head. Now, were all werewolves this stubborn, or was it only Erica and Boyd? And Derek, of course. Or was it _because_ of Derek? I mean, they lived with him, so they were bound to pick up on some of his habits, weren't they?

"Dude, come on." I whined. "I know that's a lie! You would have answered Erica's calls and texts if you were fine!"

"I'm fine, just wanted some time to myself." Boyd mumbled.

I thought werewolves were supposed to be good at this kind of thing?

"Geez, stubborn wolf! Just like your girlfriend!" I moaned. "Come on, let me help. Let me be useful! I'll keep bugging you if you don't tell me, you know I will."

Thankfully, Boyd – unlike Erica – knew when to cave. But that didn't mean he wasn't reluctant. I mean, I knew what it was like when something was wrong. You wanted to keep it to yourself and suffer in silence. You didn't want anyone to know. So yeah, I could understand the reluctance.

"I was able to track, just by scent." Boyd sighed. "Derek takes all us Betas out into the woods, blindfolds us and gets us to track it. He keeps an eye on all of us, and it always ends after an hour, especially if someone starts going off too far. But I did it this time. Just me. After twenty minutes."

"What?! That's amazing!" I yelled. "You should be proud and happy, not depressed and frowny! Why are you all depressed and frowny?!"

Wow... Déjà vu, much! I watched as Boyd's blank expression started to crack, staring to allow a small smile appear on his face. It always made me feel god to know I was the reason someone was smiling. Especially if it was someone in the Pack, since I hadn't known them as long – think, I've known Scott for my _whole_ life!

"It's not like anyone noticed." Boyd shrugged. "It would be nice for something I've done to be noticed for once, but you can't always have what you would like. But it's fine; I'm fine."

I shook my head. Seriously, what the hell was Derek doing?! He had to stop letting this happen! If he knew his Betas had done something that was proven to be difficult for all of or just for one of them, then praise should be given! Everybody knew that! Sure, not everybody followed it, but when you had a Pack of – mostly – trouble teenagers, you had to follow that rule!

I was seriously debating just confronting the Alpha myself, but then I wouldn't be able to do awesome things for the Pack. Which was why I said what I said next.

"Get in my Jeep." I told him. "No arguments, get in. Oh, but tell me where you want to go, we're celebrating an achievement of yours after all."

* * *

I should have guessed that Boyd would choose to go to the ice skating rink. Thankfully, it wasn't meant to be open, but since he worked there we were fine. Me, personally, I hated ice skating. But, at least is would only be Boyd who saw me fuck this up.

"Have you always liked skating?" I asked, as I wobbly stepped onto the ice.

Boyd, of course, just skated right on by, effortlessly. Cheating werewolf! Well, he probably wasn't cheating...he _did_ work here.

"Yeah. My parents used to take me when I was a kid." Boyd shrugged. "It's fun."

Fun was one word for it... I on the other hand could think of many, many words to describe how I felt about skating. But fun? Probably not on my list at this moment in time. But at least it was making Boyd happier. I liked the quiet Beta, he was one of my favourites – but no one beat Isaac, Isaac was my overall favourite. But Boyd was still awesome. He just needed to come out of his shell and let us get to know him. We were his family now, his friends; we wouldn't ditch him or leave him hanging. Erica definitely wouldn't! He was getting there, though. Slowly but surely, he was getting there. He just needed a bit more of a push.

"How do you do that?" Boyd asked, amused.

"Do what?" I wondered.

"Think so much when you're not talking, without your head exploding."

"It's a talent. One of the many I posses."

I think that had been the first time I had actually started to see Boyd start to open up to someone – other than Erica. It felt kind of nice that it was me.

* * *

Boyd ended up teaching me how to skate without holding onto the side. He did the impossible and showed me how to best keep my balance, on the ice, when I could barely walk on solid ground without tripping over my own feet. It was only then, when I was able to properly skate, that I had to concede that it was actually a lot of fun.

"Thanks, Stiles." Boyd suddenly said, as we continued to just drift across the ice.

"For what? Ow!" I asked, falling for the hundredth plus time.

Boyd grinned as he helped me up; trying not to laugh at how clumsy I was when I was distracted just a little bit.

"For doing this." he replied. "For actually caring. When we were driving here, I looked at some of the messages that Erica had left for me... There was one that suggested I talk to you about it, and she told me what you did for her... It really is appreciated, Stiles. So, thank you."

I would have hugged him. But hugging while ice skating was just a disaster waiting to happen. Especially if I was involved. So I just stuck with a friendly pat on the back.

"Dude, don't think me. I mean it." I grinned back, knowing that colour had been added to my face, just like every other time someone thanked me. "I'm happy to. Just don't feel like this is the only reason I would do this. Seriously. Anytime you need a friend, just come find me and I'll be happy to help."

"Erica's right. You are the best." was the reply.

* * *

Just like with Erica, Boyd and I stopped by a Starbucks on the way back to Derek's – me with my white chocolate mocha and sugar, Boyd with his black coffee and sugar. I mean, who didn't like Starbucks?! I know I really didn't need the extra energy, but sometimes I really _did need_ the extra energy. Plus, it tasted _awesome_!

It didn't take long for us to get back to Derek's and, even though I didn't have to, I walked with Boyd up to the house. Considering he just up and left earlier, I doubted he wanted to go back alone. Just like with Erica, the door opened before we were even halfway.

"One Beta safely returned." I grinned, seeing Derek in the doorway, nudging Boyd's arm as we continued to walk closer.

Said Beta just smirked a little, thanking me again before disappearing inside the house.

"Dude, no, not cool!" I called after him.

"Suck it, youngster." Boyd called back.

"You are barely five months older than me!"

"And don't you forget it."

It sucked being the youngest of the _entire_ Pack _and_ year group!

"Hey, Sourwolf." I greeted Mr Broody McAlpha.

Of course, there was no reply, just a scowl.

"Ok, I'm leaving." I sighed, saluting slightly as I walked back towards my Jeep.

Yeah, Derek definitely needed a hug to get rid of his grumpiness. Just like Cas – Castiel, Angel of the Lord – needed a hug in series six of Supernatural – that was series six and seven could have all been avoided...series eight too! It would have been a much happier time, and less feel breaking! But right now, I think the fact that the Betas weren't getting the praise they needed – and Derek wasn't getting the hug he needed – was more feel breaking than anything...


	4. Allison and Lydia

**Stiles **

Sunday 23rd September 2012 – only a _day_ after Boyd – I saw for myself what would happen.

Since we were a Pack, we would always train together, as a Pack. Even if we were doing completely different things. But sometimes, we would all do one activity, and make it a competition. We – with the exception of Derek – were teenagers, we were competitive. This time, we were paired or grouped up, taken into the woods – we drove, so we didn't trek through the woods, that would defeat the purpose of this training activity – and told to find our ways back to the house.

Of course, I was late. So late, in fact, that I ended up sitting there waiting for everyone to get back. I knew Derek wasn't so happy with me there – was he ever happy? – but for once he made no comment. Even if he did, I would tell him how it wasn't my fault! I mean, I had homework to get done and I didn't really want to do it that evening – dad _finally_ had the evening off! But no, he said nothing. Sure, he glared – when didn't he? – but he stayed quiet. I guess that wasn't anything new either, but I thought he would say _something_.

* * *

I ended up filling the silences all by myself, since Derek wasn't talking and no one was back yet. And it had been ages...ok, so I had been sitting there for ten minutes. Which was ages for me, to be fair! I honestly couldn't tell you what the hell I was going on about; I was just letting myself ramble on about anything I could think of. Again, Derek said nothing. He didn't give me his ' _shut up_ ' glare or his ' _I'll rip your throat out...with my teeth'_ death glare. Not even a growl! It unnerved me, but it didn't shut me up. Please, nothing could shut me up! Well, that was a lie, but... Oh, you know what I mean!

I was talking for an hour when two people appeared at the edge of the tree line. Allison and Lydia, it was so easy to tell. First ones back, not a wolf around – out of the Betas anyway. The girls ran over, grinning. Of course they would, they beat _werewolves_ – and Danny – here.

Yet Derek said nothing.

He glanced at them, before turning back to the woods. That just pissed me off. Not even a small acknowledgement for _this_! I noticed how the girls' moods dropped slightly. Even if they didn't know it, they still wanted the praise for doing something like this. So again I stepped up.

"Right you two, in the Jeep." I grinned.

"What? Where are we going?" Allison asked, walking with me anyway, dragging Lydia with her.

"To celebrate! You guys win, that's a huge achievement. Unless you don't want to..."

"Where are we going?" Lydia questioned, mood lifting slightly.

"Anywhere you two want to go."

The two girls looked to each other and smirked, before turning back to me. I didn't like the look of that...

* * *

"Alright, how much did Erica tell you?" I sighed as I pulled my Jeep into the parking lot of the mall.

"Everything, bar one thing." Lydia replied, casually. "Said it wasn't her place to say."

"Of course she did. But you both want to know, don't you."

"Well, it's not like we're going to force you, Stiles." Allison smiled, sweetly.

This is why I was glad Scott had her. She was smart, beautiful and sweet. Plus she could handle herself in a fight! Sometimes it was difficult to remember that she was actually a year older than all of us.

Looking from Lydia to Allison, I debated with myself whether or not I should tell them that one little thing that Erica had left out. I mean, I knew they wouldn't push if I didn't want too, but they would still want to know. But I was trying to cheer them up after Derek decided to be a crappy Alpha... So, sighing, I gave in.

"Just so you know: I wasn't going to tell anyone yet, so please keep it to yourself, the only person that knows so far is my dad...and now Erica...and now you two. I'm Bi. Dad didn't believe me when I told him, until we were watching Thor last week and caught me staring a bit too long at Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston. But can you blame me? Anyway! Yes, I really am...though if I had to choose, I probably sway more towards guys, to be honest." I told them, rushed. "Erica has also decided I'm now her GBF."

It was safe to say that Allison and Lydia reacted very well to that... Though I may have ended up a little deaf after all of the squealing and the yelling and even more squealing. Seriously, what the hell was it with the squealing?! It was loud and high pitched and really not nice to hear! And it made me feel just a little self-conscious.

* * *

"I think we should set you up with Danny." Allison stated as we walked into the second store.

I basically dropped everything that I was holding. I mean... What?!

"No. No you shouldn't." I grumbled, bending down to pick up the things I had dropped.

"Why not?" Lydia pressed, hands on her hips.

Shuffling where I stood, I wondered how much squealing they would do once I told them this little titbit.

"Well for one, Danny is just a friend." I replied. "Second, he and Isaac are the ones you should be setting up. Am I the only one that sees it?"

From the blank looks I received, I took that as a yes. So, rolling my eyes, I set about explaining how I drew up my conclusion. I mean: they touched way more than friends, or the wolves do; in the puppy piles, the practically sat on top of each other; they always blushed when the other looked at them; they always lightened up when they talked about or someone talked to them about the other. And that was to name a few!

I had to actually cover my ears as Allison and Lydia squealed in delight, turning a few heads. Yeah, I probably shouldn't have said that in a store... Oh well, the damage was done now.

* * *

As the three of us continued our way around the mall, into different stores, and – of course – stopping in Starbucks, we ended up talking about how Derek had been treating the Pack as of late. The girls asked me who it had happened to so far and I had told them that it was Erica, Boyd and the two of them. I mentioned how I got Boyd back to his happier state and how I thought it would happen to the rest of the Pack – maybe even Danny too. I wouldn't be surprised if it happened with the whole Pack, but I did want to find out why. At some point, I wanted – and would – find out why. I just need Mr Sour-grumpy-pants-wolf to remove the stick from his ass and actually, you know, talk to us!

"Stiles, since you've technically come out of the closet to Erica and us... Does that mean you'll be coming shopping with us from now on?" Lydia asked, grinning over her non fat half caff-triple Grande quarter sweet sugar free vanilla extra hot extra foamy caramel macchiato – _man_ , that was a mouth full!

"That depends." I replied, simply.

"If the next words out of your mouth are: ' _if you want me there_ ', I swear to God…." Allison sighed, smiling slightly.

"Of course we would want you there, we wouldn't be asking otherwise." Lydia added with a roll of her eyes.

"Fine, I guess that the next words out of my mouth were: if I'm free." I chuckled.

I really couldn't tell if I was a push over or just that scared of the two girls….

* * *

After all the shopping – it had taken longer than when I was with Erica! – and they had both roped me into buying things for myself – just like Erica – we headed back to Derek's. I mean, Lydia wouldn't want to leave her car there, and it was still early and, technically, 'training' was still on. Though, you couldn't really call sitting around, after finding your way back to the Hale house, training. It was more like Pack bonding.

So that was where we went.

As soon as we pulled up to the house and I had switched the ignition off, I helped the girls move their bags from my Jeep to Lydia's car, which, thankfully, I had parked next to. Jackson and Scott had walked out of the house to stand on the porch as soon as we had pulled up, watching as we unloaded my Jeep to load Lydia's car. I had no idea what the hell they were thinking when they saw me in the middle of it all, but I was having too much fun to care.

Luckily, Allison and Lydia had both agreed to keep my secret until I was ready to let the rest of the Pack know. To be honest, I was glad that the females of the Pack knew, it would most likely make it easier to tell the guys.

"So, we're on for Saturday, right?" Lydia grinned.

"Yes, yes, ok." I chuckled. "I already agreed, you don't have to keep badgering me, Lyds."

"Just remember, Erica will be there too. We'll be _way_ longer this time." Allison giggled.

"I think I'll be able to handle it, Ali-cat. Especially since I can survive through classes with Harris."

And it was true. Surviving Harris' class was difficult and took a large amount of will power. Especially when he's such a colossal dick! But enough about him. The three of us walked over and into the house one Lydia's car was packed up, taking a seat with the rest of the Pack in the living room. While Erica and Boyd smiled, knowing what I had done for Allison and Lydia, the rest of the Pack just seemed a little confused as to why we had left.

Derek, just like the other two times, just looked at me. Definitely needed a hug, that one.


	5. Scott

**Stiles **

Friday 28th September 2012, after school, doing a bit of research on my computer. Well, I _was_ , until there was a knock at my window. That was how I knew it wasn't Sourwolf – I had trained the Betas to knock first. Without turning, I waved them in, wondering if it was going to be Scott, Jackson or Isaac this time.

I was researching wolfs on this website. It was all about wolf behaviour, facial expressions, tail positions, mating/courting, play, fur... Things like that. I thought that, even if it might not be true to werewolves, it could possibly help. I saved the website to my favourites before I turned my chair around, spinning towards my bed. Sitting there, on the edge of said bed, was Scott. Yeah, something was definitely up with my bestest pal.

"Let me guess, you did something awesome and Derek ignored it." I said, giving him a sympathetic smile.

"Got it in one..." Scott nodded. "You know how I find it difficult not to...not to _change_ in public. Like at school or whatever, because some people are assholes."

"Yes, I know that very well."

Scott smiled slightly, not that it held any of his usual cheerfulness.

"Well, the thing is, I prevented it this time." Scott mumbled. "By myself, no help. The others still need to be reminded and calmed down by someone... But I did it. And I was wondering if we could just hang out this weekend? Just the two of us, just like old times?"

"Course we can!" I grinned. "Dad isn't going to be home this weekend so you can stay if you like. Oh, and congrats dude, that's a big step for you."

"Thanks, dude."

* * *

Somehow, after Scott had come back from his house, grabbing his stuff, we got onto the subject of the other four I had cheered up after Derek was being a thick headed mutt. It clicked in place for Scott when I mentioned Allison and Lydia, realising then why we had been gone for so long, but then also realising why Erica and Boyd seemed to know what was going on and what the girls had meant about Saturday. Luckily, Saturday – aka tomorrow – Scott was at work when I was being dragged to the mall by the girls, and we would both finish around the same time, leaving the both of us the whole of Sunday, plus part of Saturday and the rest of Friday.

For the rest of the night, we ended up just watching TV; playing a few video games, which I won of course and everything else we used to do before all the werewolf stuff. We even ended up complaining about Harris, all the stuff we thought would happen next year and just getting everything and anything out into the open. Which ended up with the accidental slip up...

"You're Bi?" Scott asked, calmly, not even taking his eyes off of the TV.

I, on the other hand, was holding my breath and panicking internally. It wasn't that I was scared that he'd not accept it, it was the fact that I hadn't told him straight away. Silently I nodded, knowing he could see me in his peripheral vision.

"Dude, were you trying to keep that a secret?" Scott continued. "I mean, I already knew, so... But don't worry, I haven't told anyone."

Ok, what now? He knew? He _knew_?! How could he know?! No one told him!

"I'm your best friend, Stiles." Scott grinned, seeing my expression, turning to look at me. "It wasn't that hard to guess. When we went to see The Dark Knight Rises back in July, you seemed to be interested in Christian Bale, Tom Hardy and Joseph Gordon-Levitt more than any actress, man."

July... July... I had already told my dad by then.

"Would have been nice if you mentioned you knew!" I shrieked – yes, flailing hands were in play. "I slipped up when Erica found out, Allison and Lydia only know because Erica told them to ask me about something she left out when telling them about the mall trip! The only person I have actually told because I _could_ and _wanted_ tell them now was my dad! I've been freaking out about telling the rest of you!"

"I get that, I do. But you're our friend, you're practically my brother!" Scott argued. "You really think that one little detail will change how any of us think of you, how I think of you? Do you really think we'd be alright with Danny and not you?"

And, ok, when he put it like that it did sound really stupid...

* * *

The next day, after actually surviving the mall trip, I swore I was going to be broke in the next month! Seriously, how the girls persuaded me to buy so much for myself, I will never know!

I had gotten back before Scott, so I decided to put all the stuff I had bought at the mall in the correct place, and order pizza. It was, like, tradition when Scott came round. We would always get pizza, and there was always enough to feed a whole army of werewolves. Or, before the whole werewolf thing, two very hungry teenage boys... It was better to order now, knowing from personal experience that it did not go down so well to have a hungry werewolf hanging around you. They got very grumpy, really easy... It was not as fun as I first thought it would be. And besides, I was still cheering my best buddy up, and pizza was one sure-fire way to do that.

So, I was lucky that the pizza arrived before Scott. Seriously, the guy looked worse than the day before. I, literally, just pointed to the living room, not turning around from where I was grabbing drinks and junk food from the kitchen. Scott said nothing, but I could hear him walking in the direction of the living room.

"So, I guess today wasn't do good." I said as I walked into the living room, sitting on the floor next to Scott, both of us leaning against the couch with the coffee table of pizza and other junk in front of us.

"Everything went to hell." Scott grumbled. "The animals escaped, Deaton was bitten, any customers that actually came in complained nonstop. I'm just glad I learnt how to control my frustration now."

"Well, I say it couldn't have come at a better day then. Anyway, this is supposed to make you happy, so..."

I passed Scott one of the many soda cans I had brought in with me, grabbing a slice of pizza for myself and handing the TV remote to the teen wolf beside me.

This was going to be a fun weekend.

* * *

I think the only night we slept was Friday, even then it was only for a couple of hours. Saturday, we just didn't even realised the time or when the sun rose for Sunday, both of us too engrossed in the movies and video games. Not to mention the fact that, even after all these years, we still had _loads_ to talk about.

"So, you have any idea why Mr Alpha is being Lord Sour-McGrumpy-wolf?" I asked, eyes fixed on the screen in front of me.

"No idea." Scott shrugged. "He's fine the rest of the time, but as soon as it comes to something we've achieved...it's like he goes back to the guy we met in the woods."

And wasn't that just strange? Surely there had to be a reason why Sourwolf was acting so – well – _sour_! Ever since the whole Pack had gotten together and actually identified each other as _Pack_ , he had been a way better Alpha than before and a way better person. So why, all of a sudden, change now? What made him completely disregard something that people in his Pack were doing, especially when it was things that the majority of teenagers would fail miserably at and crumble under the pressure of? Surely the things that the Pack did, especially learning a new skill, should be rewarded or praised or acknowledged! It was manners and what an Alpha _should_ do! Yeah, I didn't know if werewolves actually should do that, but when you have a Pack of teenagers, you need to give them some encouragement and praise.

I frowned as Scott and I continued the game. At some point, I was going to get down to this mystery, but for now...I had a friend to beat!

"And Stilinski wins!" I grinned, throwing my hands – and the controller, which I had a hold of – into the air.

* * *

"Thanks for doing this, man." Scott smiled, before he left Sunday afternoon. "I've really missed this."

"Same here..." I grinned. "And don't thank me. You're my bro, and bro's stick together."

Scott just shook his head and laughed, calling out a goodbye as he left. As soon as he had left, I set about cleaning up. I mean, I don't think dad would appreciate coming home to a dirty house.

Cleaning wasn't my favourite thing in the world, but it had to be done. Besides, if it wasn't me, who would do it? Dad was too busy with work and was never home long enough to actually clean. Even when he was at home, he was at risk at being called back to the station. So it was down to me to do it. I liked helping out, don't get me wrong! It's just that it was boring and just...blugh!

But I couldn't really concentrate on cleaning. Scott was the fifth person in the Pack that I had helped in just two weeks... There were three more Pack members – not including Derek and myself – that I had yet to help yet, and I wondered at what point I would be seeing them. It wasn't going to be easy finding something to cheer Jackson up that I could help with, but Danny and Isaac were probably easier. Still, that didn't help me get over the fact that Derek was doing this.

And he _knew_ he was doing this.

I just wanted to know: _why_?


	6. Jackson

**Stiles **

Tuesday 2nd October 2012, was when the next Pack member approached me. Now, this one took me by surprise

Everyone was getting changed from _the longest_ lacrosse practice to date. Seriously, I was ready to _drop_! That was probably why I was taking the longest getting changed. Or maybe it was because I had been up most nights trying to figure out what the hell was going on with Derek, which made it fairly difficult to actually, you know, _sleep_! I was lacing up my sneakers when someone slumped down onto the bench next to me, facing the opposite way. I glanced to my left, having to do a double take just to make sure I wasn't seeing things.

"Er... Hey, Jackson..." I said, awkwardly.

"How do you do it?" he asked, turning to face me.

"Do what?"

"Put up with Derek?"

Sighing, I finished with the laces before turning around to face Jackson fully, crossing my legs on the bench.

"What amazing thing did you do that he overlooked?" I asked, getting a little more annoyed at the Alpha in question.

Jackson seemed a little surprised that I seemed to know, vaguely, what this was about. It looked like I would some explaining to do too.

"I was able to tell the difference between frustration and anger, by scent." Jackson sighed, smiling a little.

"Ok, seriously, what is up with your Alpha?" I groaned. "That's... Eugh, you're the newest to this and you're the first one to actually be able to do that! Really, well done, man!"

Jackson looked a bit stunned that I gave a crap, I guess. That, or it was because I complaining about Derek more now, or because I actually congratulated him. Or, you know, a mix of all of them. It didn't really matter which it was really. To be honest, I didn't think Jackson would actually even come to me about this, or that I would have to help him out. I mean, sure, I know that he has his issues, and everything with Derek doesn't make it any better, but I never thought he would actually want to open up to me about it! I felt rather privileged. But I pushed that aside. This wasn't about me feeling all warm and fuzzy that the rest of the Pack seemed to confide in me, this was about me helping to cheer all of them up when Derek was being a douche – albeit a _very hot_ douche.

"So, Jackson." I said, smiling. "What is it you like to do?"

* * *

I never thought that I would ever be sitting in the local book shop – not library, we could talk here – sitting in a corner, both of us with books, and actually _talking_ to each other. No sarcastic comments or threats or anything! Just talking, as if we were best buddies or something! I had even started learning more about the mystery that was Jackson Whittemore. Of course I knew about his parents – his biological parents – and the adoption, and he knew that I knew about that, but he told me more. He told me how he always tried to picture what they looked like and what traits he had of them. If he was an equal mix or was more like one than the other. He told me how he read a lot at home, not that he told anyone, so he could escape from the world around him, just for a little bit and forget everything that was going on. I could relate to that, I was the same, had been since I was a kid... We even had the same taste in music and authors and films, which was scary...

"Never thought I'd be saying this, but you're an alright guy, Stiles." Jackson told me, smirking a little.

"Yeah, you're not so bad yourself, Jax." I grinned.

Who would have guessed that Jackson and I would actually get along? I mean, for all these years...

"What did you call me?" Jackson asked, confused.

"Huh?" I replied.

"Did you... Did you call me 'Jax'?"

Did I? Did I call him Jax? Geez, what was it with me and giving people nicknames?!

"Oh, sorry. Lack of brain to mouth filter you know, can't really help it." I shrugged, chuckling a little. "It's annoying."

Jackson just nodded slowly, and our conversation picked up again, fairly quickly. As if it never stopped in the first place. Man, Scott would never believe this. Well, he would because of his werewolf hearing, but... Oh, never mind, you know what I mean!

* * *

"I don't mind you know." Jackson said, a little while later.

"Don't mind what?" I replied.

I looked up from the book I had read a few lines of, going over the same few lines. My brain really wasn't picking up today when it came to books!

Jackson sighed and rolled his eyes, looking almost amused. I mean, come on, Jackson? Amused? At _me_?! Well, like they said, there's always a first for everything. Even if that everything just happened to be out of this world crazy!

"You calling me Jax..." he explained, quietly, shrugging. "It's... I dunno, it's like I'm actually being included for once."

I tilted my head to the side. For once I actually saw the broken, scared, teenager sitting in front of me. The one who had lost everything without even realising. The one who hid behind his walls to protect himself from losing anything else – remind you of anyone? For once I didn't see the boneheaded jock who got by in life by bullying, or the asshole who seemed to have to just be a jerk to get anywhere, or the rich little asshat. I was finally seeing – I assumed – the Jackson that was being hidden from us all.

"What makes you think you aren't?" I asked, trying to make it sound like I wasn't trying to pry – which I wasn't!

Jackson sighed, closing the book he had hold of and putting it to the sigh. He sat up properly, crossing his legs, but stayed staring at the floor.

"I know everyone's still wary about the whole Kanima thing..." he muttered. "I'll just always be a slimy, scaly lizard to them. It's not like I really fit in anywhere. Sometimes I think that I should just leave, to be honest."

"Ok, look, I have never lied to you before, and I'm not starting now. Trust me when I say they don't think that, and no one else thinks that." I told him, forcefully. "You are _Pack_ , that means you _are family_ , that means you _belong_ , that means you should _stay here_ , and it means that you are most definitely _NOT_ a 'slimy lizard'. You hear me?"

"But..."

"No buts! Seriously, don't make me get the rest of the Pack in on this! Trust me, they might not show it, but they care. Look at me, for example, I'm a human with ADHD who gets on everyone's nerves. If anyone in the Pack doesn't fit in it's me. And don't try to say I'm wrong, I all ready know I'm right. Besides, I don't do much to help."

"But..."

"What did I say about those buts?"

"You're really stubborn, you know that?"

"It's all part of my character."

* * *

I was still surprised that I was actually able to spend time with Jackson and _not_ want to get it over and done with. It was a nice change from the pair of us always making some sort of snarky, sarcastic comment to each other. And it was nice to know that he trusted me. Even if he didn't realise that was what he was doing; trusting me.

We headed over to Derek's after a while, since there was a Pack meeting on that night. Meaning: we would talk about if anything has popped up over town, order pizza or Chinese, talk and watch films. That was literally it. It was more like... _Pack bonding_ than anything else! Of course, we stopped by Starbucks on our way back to Derek's though, but surprisingly it was Jackson's suggestion. It was also a little surprising that he didn't go for a coffee and went for hot chocolate. I couldn't help but smirk a little, which in turn made Jackson smile a little – I know, weird, right?!

"Where the hell have you two been?" Lydia asked, rising an eyebrow as Jackson and I walked into Derek's living room.

Jackson and I looked to each other, both shrugging.

"Around." we replied.

"Wait, you mean you hung out together and didn't kill each other?" Erica asked, amused.

"Surprisingly, yes." Jackson replied, smirking as he nudged me on his way over to Lydia.

I rolled my eyes as I dropped into my usual position on the floor, next to Isaac – who always sat close to Danny, who was sitting on the couch behind Isaac. Honestly, you think they would both get a clue!

Looking around, I could help but smile a little. I meant what I had said to Jackson. This was a family. Albeit a slightly dysfunctional family at times, but a family none the less. We just had to find a way to finally get Derek to realise that and to actually take part in family stuff – for example, this is _totally_ random, show his Betas that he is proud of them!

Yeah, that could take a lot of time.


	7. Danny

**Stiles **

I didn't even get a break after Jackson! It was the next day – Wednesday 3rd October – when the next Pack member came to me. And actually came to me, like Jackson and Scott did! I didn't find this one.

We were in Chemistry, attempting to _not_ get detention from Harris this week, when Danny leant over and started talking.

"Can I ask you something?" he asked.

"Think you just did, Danny-o, but sure." I smirked.

The guy just sighed. Honestly, these people do not appreciate my humour. But, I was willing to look past it. Especially since Allison, Erica, Lydia and I had this plan to _finally_ get Danny and Isaac together... And no, it wasn't meddling. It was just four people trying to help their two friends to realise they feel the same way about each other, stop torturing themselves and finally get together. That was all... Yeah, so totally not meddling.

"Is Derek always so... _dismissive_ of everything any of us do?" Danny wondered.

I should have seen this coming. There had been a website that we found the day before at Derek's, after Jackson and I arrived there, but we couldn't get into it. Danny had offered his hacking skills to get past everything the owners had set up, so we could see what they were up to... But these people were good. Danny was up for most of the night, most likely well into the early hours of the morning, trying to hack this website, even though we all told him to just leave it and get some rest. He was having none of it. He kept trying to hack this seemingly un-hack-able site, only to finally crack it at God-only-knows-what-time! Now this annoyed me, the same as all the other times. The reason? Danny was the newest to the Pack, he didn't have to offer to help, it was in front of the _whole_ Pack and Derek was being an asshole and he knew it. It seriously pissed me off.

So, again, I stepped up.

"Come to my place after school. We can do lab work or whatever, or you can totally just bitch about what a shitty Alpha he is." I told him. "Believe me; I would be more than happy to talk about that."

"Says the guy in love with him." Danny smirked.

And no, I did not almost fall out of my seat, please be serious...

"What?!" I hissed, quietly, my voice raising an octave.

"It's not that hard to spot. Besides, I could tell from the beginning he wasn't your 'cousin, Miguel'." Danny chuckled. "I would be worried if you were looking at your _cousin_ like that."

And no, I did not blush. I don't blush... Much...

* * *

Danny took me up on my offer to come back to mine after school was over and done with for another day, and for once we actually got lab work done! I know, amazing, huh? Of course we didn't do lab work the whole time, oh no. Turns out, Danny and I have more in common than we first thought. Hence why we were playing video games in my living room, with our lab stuff still scattered over the coffee table. He wasn't half bad actually, though I was better... It was so not my fault that I had a bit more free time than the rest of them, even if it had dropped since the werewolf crisis.

A large percentage of our time was spent complaining about Derek, which was always fun. Until Danny decided to poke fun at my – apparently – obvious crush. I was sitting there hoping it really wasn't as obvious as he said it was... However, the rest of the time, we were just talking. This was one of the upsides about doing this, I got to learn more about the people within the Pack – accept Scott, I already know everything about Scott.

For example, I never knew that Danny took break dance lessons when he was three up until the age of nine. I never knew that he liked Harry Potter, not as much as I did though, but still! I never knew he liked Shakespeare. I never knew that he had a small fear of the water, because he almost drowned over in Hawaii. There were a lot of things I didn't know about him, that Danny told me.

"So," I stared, smirking ever so slightly. "Isaac."

That drew a nervous laugh from Danny. I could see his whole face light up, as well as a blush that covered his entire tanned face...and neck...it even reached his _ears_! It was quite funny actually, so it wasn't my fault that I laughed a little...

"Wh-What do you mean?" Danny asked, stuttering slightly.

"Oh, come on!" I moaned. "If my liking Derek is obvious, then there must be a fucking great flashing neon sign above your head saying how you like Isaac! The same goes for Isaac about you, actually!"

"No it isn't. Isaac and I are just friends."

"But you want to be more than that."

"Stiles..."

"Dude, you can't lie to me. I'm not the only one that sees it man. So does Allison and Erica and Lydia. Don't make me get them in on this."

"Look, I..."

"Just answer me, honestly. Please?"

I may or may not have used the sad, kicked puppy face... Which, yeah, I know, was cheating...but it always worked in my favour. That was actually a new piece of information that I had found out on the Saturday I had gone to the mall with the girls of our Pack. So I was...testing out a theory, shall we say.

Danny sighed, a long suffering kind of sound. He paused the game, mid shoot, placing the controller down on the coffee table, turning to face me. I did the same – it was only polite.

"Fine." Danny mumbled. "I _really_ like Isaac. He's sweet, kind, funny, shy... He's cute, ok! He's like a little puppy! But that doesn't matter, because he just wants to be friends."

"You know this for definite?" I asked, grinning at the rest of what he had revealed.

"Well, he hasn't said... But that's probably what he's thinking."

"Lies! All of it! Geez, you two are both blind! I swear, I'm going to have to lock you guys in a cupboard lined with mountain ash, until you both admit it!"

"You wouldn't actually do that. Would you?"

"If you wait long enough, you'll see, Danny-o."

* * *

By the time dad had gotten back from the station, Danny was still over. We continued with the videogames for a bit longer, before actually _completing_ our lab work for the day! I know, amazing, right?! Of course, Danny didn't leave right away, and I didn't mind. I liked being able to talk with Danny, he was a cool guy. And he _wanted_ to know more about werewolves, so he knew what else to expect. Besides, I liked having someone to share my research with, since the others either knew or didn't care. It was nice to be able to finally talk about it with someone.

"So, do you think werewolves mate for life, like regular wolves?" Danny asked, just another random wolf question he had.

"I don't know... Would be great to know though." I replied. "Did you know that normally only the alpha pair would mate, but on rare occasions, subordinates do mate with other wolves as well? Wolves who decide to mate, will go through what is called a 'courting period.' This will normally last for a day before the pair actually mate. And the mating/breeding season for wolves usually occurs within the time period of late winter and early spring, so the breeding season for wolves takes place at any time in the winter months of January to April, but usually in February or March. The mother is pregnant for 9 weeks and then she gives birth."

Danny just looked at me, just blinking for a second.

"You really did do your homework on this, didn't you." he grinned.

"Hey, you gotta be prepared." I protested.

"Keep telling yourself that, Stiles."

Childishly, I just stuck my tongue out at him, which resulted in Danny laughing and punching me, lightly, on the arm.

"Well, I need to head home." Danny told me. "Thanks for this, Stiles. You know, I actually forgot what was wrong in the first place at points!"

"It was nothing, don't worry about it." I shrugged.

"Seriously, man, you're a good friend."

"Again, don't worry about it. And hey, I'll find out what Derek's problem is."

Even if it was the last thing I did. Which it probably would be, knowing the Sourwolf...


	8. Isaac

**Stiles **

The next one _really_ pissed me off. I mean, how could _anyone_... It was Friday 5th October when the final Beta came up to me – yeah, so it's kind of easy to guess who it was. I would have thought that at _least_ this one would get some sort of praise!

I was heading to my Jeep when school had ended, looking forward to the weekend. I had barely any homework, and the little bit that I had would take me, about, an hour – tops! The sun was still shinning, everything was going alright so far... And then I spotted Boyd, Erica and Isaac. The youngest of the three Betas didn't seem like his usually – well, ever since the Pack became a Pack – cheery self. So, of course, being the person I am, I had to go over and see what was wrong.

As I made my way over, Erica and Boyd seemed to sigh with relief, but none of their stress seemed to dissipate. Erica still stood there, hugging the youngest wolf as he continued to tell them that he was fine.

"Afternoon, my furry friends." I grinned. "What's going on here?"

"Nothing." Isaac sighed, immediately.

Erica rolled her eyes, but tightened her arms around the only wolf she had taken under her wing and had dubbed her surrogate-wolf-brother.

"He's been like this all day and won't tell anyone why." Boyd explained, concern lacing his tone.

"He's barely talked to anyone." Erica added, frowning worriedly.

Both Erica and Boyd gave me a look, both silently pleading me to do something – anything – to help him. I nodded to them, while seeing the sad puppy look of Isaac's face.

"Hey, Isaac, come here." I said, keeping my tone light.

Said wolf looked up from where he was staring at the ground, standing there for a few seconds, before walking over to me. It was then that Erica and Boyd noticed Derek's car pulling up a short distance away, and both started towards it. Isaac looked as if he was going to leave to, so I quickly hooked my arm around his shoulder and dragged him towards my Jeep. I was a little surprised that he was letting me, actually.

"Stiles, I need to go." Isaac sighed.

"No you don't, I'll take you back later." I told him. "Hey, have you ever been bowling?"

* * *

So that was how I found myself at the bowling alley, trying to get the wolf to start smiling again. Isaac hadn't done a lot of things in his life, thanks to his asshole of a father, so we – the whole Pack – had been introducing him to everything he had missed out on. Yeah, we were an awesome Pack.

Isaac was actually really good at bowling... I put it down to the werewolf powers. The fact that he was winning though just seemed to make Isaac more upset. But there was one thing that was cheering him up, little by little...well, after I realised of course.

"Dude, have you seriously never played before?" I asked, grinning, when he got yet _another_ strike! "You're a natural at this, Pup."

I swear, if he was an actually puppy, his ears would have picked up and his tail would have started waging. It was like, from then on, he would just be getting happier with every strike he got, with every bit of praise he got.

It was only when we had finished the game, and heading back to my Jeep to go to my place, that I questioned him. I told him how I already knew it was something to do with Derek, which seemed to make him relax a little, knowing that he didn't have to tell me that part.

"Well," Isaac sighed. "We were training yesterday and Derek paired me up with Boyd. Normally when we train, I always have to stop and take a break, because being thrown around...well; it brings up some unwanted memories."

I nodded, silently encouraging him.

"Right. Well, while I was won... Against _Boyd_! _Without_ having to take a break. Sure, Boyd and Erica and Scott and Jackson realised... But it's not really the same. I know it's stupid..." Isaac finished.

I couldn't help it. I really couldn't. I _had to_ hug him! You would to if you saw that sad face that just _screamed_ ' _I'm-an-adorable-little-puppy-please-love-me-and-tell-me-I-did-good_ '. Sure, Isaac was still a bit flinchy around people, but he was getting better. Though it was mainly with me and Danny that you saw the _big_ difference. With the others – even Erica – Isaac would always go tense for a minute or two before he would finally relax, with Danny and me he would flinch the tiniest bit before relaxing and hugging back. And I think both Isaac and I were still getting use to the wolf's urge to nuzzle Pack mates...but we both tried to ignore it when it happened then.

This had to be the final straw for me. I mean, _Isaac_! Of _all_ people, _ISAAC_! No, I refused! It was just... I couldn't... How could...? _NO_! Isaac could tell that my anger was increasing, since he whined slightly and started shaking a little. Yeah, we were working on him getting used to people's anger. So, with _a lot_ of effort, I calmed down. For Isaac's sake.

* * *

Back at my house, Isaac and I sat in the living room. I sat at one end of the couch while Isaac...well, for some unknown reason, Isaac sat on the floor. Rolling my eyes, I reached over and tugged on his arm, only making him jump a little – like I said, he was getting better. I didn't stop tugging until he was sat on the other side of the couch. He smiled a little sheepishly, shrugging and saying it was 'habit'. I just shook my head, grinning back at him before letting him choose what we watched. I almost died when he asked if we could watch Supernatural!

"You see, this is why you are my favourite!" I beamed. "Well, not just this, but this has been added to the list of reasons."

Isaac giggled. Like, honest to God giggled! I couldn't help but stare at him while he blushed and tried to hide behind a pillow. Chuckling slightly, I turned on the episode that Isaac had chosen – Season 5 episode 11! THE PUDDING EPISODE! Only bad thing? You didn't see the full shot of Jensen Ackles – aka Dean – with his pants down. But it was still funny as hell. Also, there was the fact the Misha Collins – aka Castiel – wasn't in that episode, which was always sad, but it was still funny as hell and awesome.

It was fun being able to release my inner Fanboy with the Pup; especially since we both liked the same kind of things. Sure, I _may_ obsess with things a little too much, especially with pairings – _DESTIEL ALL THE WAY BITCHES!_ –, but we still liked the same things and we could still appreciate the awesomeness and go slightly crazy over it all...

* * *

I couldn't for the life of me tell you how long Isaac and I laughed at the 'pudding' part of that episode, both of us in fits. Even after we stopped laughing, if we even so much as glanced at each other, we'd fall back into the fits of laughter. In the end, after that episode of course, we had to turn it off, because we couldn't keep straight faces while watching it. So, I decided to do to Isaac what I did to Danny. Interrogate him.

"So," I grinned, wondering how _Isaac_ would react. "Danny."

Isaac reminded me of a cherry with how dark his blush was. It spread from the tips of his ears right down to his neck... He smiled a little, seeming to not be able to help himself. Honestly, the two of them needed to sort themselves out.

"Am I really that obvious?" he asked, quietly.

"Not really." I told him, trying not to sound like I was mocking him. "I had to _tell_ the girls. The guys, they have no clue."

Isaac nodded, going a deeper shade of red – was that possible?!

"Danny just sees me as a friend though." Isaac told me, sighing a little. "I mean, look at him and then look at me."

"Hey, none of that." I said. "I have it on good authority that Danny sees you as more than a friend."

"No he doesn't."

"Does it sound like I'm lying?"

Isaac paused for a moment, shifting slightly where he sat. In the end, I dropped the conversation, not wanting him to feel too uncomfortable. I _was_ supposed to be making him feel better.

* * *

Isaac and I were still sitting there at eight that evening, my dad still at work. It was nice, just the two of us talking, no one to interrupt our conversations when I finally got Isaac to talk about something he may not have wanted to. He was still wary about trusting people sometimes with certain things. So you had to be patient and let him know it was ok.

"Stiles, do you have a nickname for everyone in the Pack?" Isaac suddenly asked, voice sounding too innocent for someone of our age.

"What?" I replied, stupidly.

"Nicknames. The Pack. Does everyone have one?"

I stopped for a moment, thinking. I hadn't really thought about it. I frowned slightly as I tried to think.

"Ok, I'll name someone, and you tell me what their nickname is." Isaac suggested. "Erica?"

"Catwoman."

"Boyd?"

"Boyd-atron."

"Allison?"

"Ali-cat."

"Lydia?"

"Lyds."

"Scott?"

"Scotty boy."

"Jackson?"

"Jax."

"Danny?"

"Danny-o."

"Me?"

"Pup."

"Derek?"

"Sourwolf, Mr Broody McAlpha, Mr Sour-grumpy-pants-wolf, Mr Alpha, Lord Sour-McGrumpy-wolf, Angry Pants and Red Eyes."

Isaac just looked amused, especially at all of Derek's nicknames. Hey, I was just glad I could cheer the baby wolf up – yes I called him _baby_ wolf, even though he is a month and a day older than me.

* * *

It had just gone nine when I pulled up to the Hale house, getting out of my Jeep with Isaac. The youngest Beta – second youngest out of the whole Pack, I hated being the youngest – now smiling more than he had ever before. I felt a rush of pride, having been the one to achieve that, grinning myself.

The door opened as Isaac and I got closer, Erica and Boyd making an appearance first. Isaac turned towards me, hugging and thanking me, before running over to the two of them, practically jumping on the two of them. Erica was just happy he was back to his old self. I continued to walk up to the door when Boyd and Isaac disappeared, immediately being squished to death by a certain blonde, female, Beta.

"Thank you." she whispered. "What was wrong with him?"

"He did something awesome." I replied.

That was all I had to say for her to get it. Her eyes flashed gold as she growled slightly. Looked like I wasn't the only pissed that this had happened to _Isaac_ too.

"By the way, I have an idea." I muttered.

The gold faded from her eyes and the growling stopped as Erica tilted her head, waiting. I typed out my plan on my phone, showing her what I had planned for the younger werewolf. She grinned, saying that she would help out however she could. We were both beaming when Derek turned up at the door.

"Evenin', Sourwolf." I said, monotone, before turning back to Erica. "Just make sure that he's ready and has no idea."

"Oh, I'm pretty sure that won't be too hard." Erica smirked. "Talk tomorrow?"

"Of course, Catwoman."

"Night, Batman."

She hugged me again before disappearing. I started turning to leave, when I heard Derek speak.

"Why do you keep dragging them away?" he asked, growling slightly.

"I wouldn't have to if you weren't such a sour wolf and actually gave them the praise they want and, you know, _need_. You're the Alpha, not me. Surely _you_ should be the one congratulating them on something they've achieved. And not just those three, but the _whole_ Pack. I've spent the last two weeks and five days cheering everyone up and waiting for them all to come to me, because you can't give a simple 'well done'." I spat back, I don't care how big a crush I had on the guy, he needed to know. "Erica would just like a bit of recognition for something she's done, for once, especially from her Alpha; Boyd wants something he's done to be noticed, for once; Allison and Lydia would probably like to know that you care that they can do things, even though they're human; Scott, man, it's hard for him you know, and a bit of praise from you would do wonders from him, especially since he's not getting any from his _dad_ ; Jackson, dude this broke my heart, he told me that he thinks to you lot he'll always be a 'slimy, scaly lizard', that it's not like he fits in anywhere, that sometimes he thinks he should just leave, and that it felt like he was being included when I gave him a nickname; Danny, he's new to all of this, he didn't _have to_ hack that website, don't you think this is stressful for him? And then Isaac! I mean, how could you?! You know what Isaac's been through! Do you know what he told me? He said that he's 'used to it'! I had to stop myself from crying like a pre-schooler! You seriously need to take a look in the mirror and start changing, Derek."

And with that I left. On the one hand, I felt better for getting that off of my chest. On the other? I felt guilty. Especially when I caught a glimpse of the hurt-kicked-puppy look on his face.


	9. Plans

**Stiles **

The next day – Saturday 6th October – I woke up feeling like shit. The image of how Derek looked last night was burnt into my memory. Especially since I knew I was the reason for it. But I couldn't let that get to me, because I had woken up just after two in the afternoon and I had a plan to put into action. So, dragging my sorry ass out of bed, I stumbled into the bathroom.

I didn't feel any better after having a shower. I didn't feel any better when I was wearing my favourite red hoodie. I didn't feel any better doing anything. I texted Erica when I was sitting on the couch, watching some mind numbing TV, telling her to make sure Isaac was headed to the movies at six. If he wasn't there at the right time, then this whole thing could go to shit. But she assured me that he would be there, even if she had to make sure of it herself.

Now, I just had to make sure person number two would get there. I had already checked last night whether or not they were busy – which they weren't – but now I just had to get them there... Without them offering to give me a lift, because I know they will...

So, you're probably wondering why I'm doing this, right. You're probably wondering 'what has Derek done now?' Well, he hasn't done anything. I was doing this because I wanted to. So I could help two friends of mine, just because I wanted to. Because my friends deserved to be happy in this supernatural, sometimes shitty, life we all had. Besides, they would never have the guts to do this themselves.

* * *

It was at half six that evening that I got the call. I couldn't help but grin as I saw it, already knowing who it would be. But I had to check the Caller ID, just to make sure which one it was.

"Danny-o!" I beamed. "Hey, how are ya? Say, is Isaac there with you?"

" _You know I am, Stiles."_ Isaac's voice said.

"Yeah, I did, Pup. So, you two are probably wondering what's going on. Am I right?"

" _Stiles, just tell us."_ Danny sighed.

Well, this could either go very wrong or very right. But I assumed this would turn out how we wanted it to. It had to.

"Well, my friends, I have decided you set you two up on a date. With each other. You see, Isaac, Danny told me that you are: sweet, kind, funny, shy, cute, and like a little puppy. But he thinks you just want to be friends." I explained. "And Danny, well, Isaac thinks you won't go for him because he thinks you're hot and he's not, as well thinking you are: smart, awesome, kind, funny and sweet. So, to help you two out a bit, and so I don't have to find a closet and mountain ash, I decided to get you two to up with each other, 'cause I can tell you both want this. Anyway, bye for now, have fun, be safe."

Before either of them could say anything else, I ended the call. Now all I had to do was wait and find out if my plan worked...

* * *

**Isaac**

Danny and I stood there, outside of the theatre, not knowing what to do, after we got off the phone with Stiles. I felt the heat slowly rising as I stared at the ground, fiddling with the zip on my jacket. From the way Erica had told me, it sounded like Stiles was going to be here too, which would normally mean Scott. The four of us had become good friends recently, so it was a fair assumption. I had no idea that Stiles had planned... _this_.

I risked a glance at Danny. He was standing there, still as a rock, staring at his phone, while a faint pink tinge worked its way to the surface of his tanned skin. It was only then as I took in his reaction that maybe Stiles had been wrong. That he only _thought_ Danny had been talking about me, but meant someone else entirely. Panicking slightly, I mumbled out a completely in comprehendible excuse and started to turn away, to start walking back home. But that's when something caught my wrist.

"I... Um... Uh..." Danny stammered, his heart beating erratically, before clearing his throat and starting again. "I did tell Stiles that. And I meant it... D-Did you?"

I had never seen Danny nervous before. He never tripped over his words. He was always so calm and collected. I didn't trust my voice at this moment in time, settling for just staring down at the ground still and nodding, slowly.

I didn't expect Danny's hand to slide down from my wrist and into my hand. I looked from our interlocked fingers to, hesitantly, his face. He was smiling as he pulled me towards the doors of the movie theatre, and not once did he actually let go of my hand.

* * *

**Stiles**

Sunday morning, I was dragged out of bed and to Derek's by Scott. Of course, I was allowed to get actual clothes on first, I mean I wouldn't go out in my pyjamas. That would be weird. So, in my black jeans, black t-shirt with red checkered shirt, I drove my Jeep – with Scott in the passenger seat – to the Hale house, my red hoodie lying on the backseat.

Scott ended up filing the silence, talking about everything Allison. At least I knew he was back to his normal non-kicked-puppy self. He was like that up until I pulled up to the house and ran up to the girl in question. I shook my head at my best friend's antics, going round to the back door of my beloved Jeep to grab my hoodie. I didn't get far after I closed the door, though, since I was immediately was being hugged, arms around my neck. All I saw was a mass of slightly-curly blondie-brown hair, and felt a face rubbing into my neck. _Isaac_. Still getting used to such affectionate wolves, it took me a moment to return the hug, patting the guy's back a little.

"You are an amazing friend." Isaac grinned, still hugging me.

This was a huge step for him. He never really initiated a hug with someone, which was why it shocked me a little with the hugs from Friday and today.

"I take it the date went well?" I chuckled.

"Is it that obvious?" he asked, breaking the hug.

"Just a little. But it would be to me...and Erica."

"I knew she helped you!"

" _Only with making sure you got there."_ Erica called.

It was not my fault if I laughed at the look on Isaac's face, and that was what I was sticking with. I hooked my arm around his shoulders as we walked towards the house and he told me, quietly, what had happened. It was just a simple dinner and a movie thing, but I could tell that Isaac loved every second of it.

I didn't even realised that we were inside the Hale house until Isaac had stopped talking. Allison, Scott, Erica and Boyd seemed to be the only other ones in the house. I wondered briefly where Derek was, before being relieved that I didn't have to see him and then feel guiltier. Isaac and I took our usual places on the floor, casually joining in with the conversation that was taking place in the living room.

* * *

It didn't take long before Danny was showed up with Jackson and Lydia, the three of them slipping in. Everyone noticed the shift in relationship with Danny and Isaac, especially since they couldn't stop touching or smiling at each other. I couldn't help but feel just a little smug about that. Danny glanced over at me while everyone was talking, giving me a grateful smile. I just shrugged, smiling back.

Of course, everything didn't stay nice and calm for long. I mean, it _was_ Derek's house. As soon as the Alpha walked in, I made sure to look at everything but him. Erica, Boyd and Isaac all looked over at me, before glancing to Derek, the three of them being the only ones that knew what happened on Friday night. In my defence, I only told him the truth. I knew I should have given Derek a chance to explain himself, but I was mad. That was one problem with my ADHD. I had a short temper, and it was still hard to try and keep it under control. Especially when it came to certain situations – for me anyway.

Neither of us said anything to each other, but no one really noticed. I think Boyd, Erica and Isaac were just glad that there was no yelling. But just because there was no yelling or speaking or eye contact going on between Sourwolf and me, didn't mean I felt any less guilty. If anything, I felt worse.

Scott ended up dragging my upstairs after an hour, to try and figure out what was wrong with me. I was reluctant to go upstairs, since Derek had drifted up there earlier, but he had super werewolf strength. Who do you think was going to win? So, I followed him upstairs. What I didn't expect though was to be pushed into Derek's room, with the Sourwolf himself and the door locked from the outside. I sat were I had stumbled to the ground, blinking at the door as Derek tried to open it.

" _Mountain ash is a wonderful thing."_ Lydia and Allison called through.

" _We have you to thank for the idea of our little plan, Stiles."_ Danny chuckled before the sound of footsteps disappeared.

I pushed myself backwards until my back hit the wall, making myself as small as possible... Especially when Derek went all Alpha mode and looked like he was about to kill someone.


	10. What Do You Mean?

**Stiles **

For the first ten minutes, Derek focused on getting out of his room, trying the window and his attached bathroom as well. It seemed like the Pack had though ahead and mountain ashed the whole room... Which meant we were stuck... You know, I could see my gravestone know: _'Stiles Stilinski, August 26_ _th_ _1995 – October 7_ _th_ _2012, Death by enraged Alpha'_. Yep, could definitely see that. Oh _shit_ , I was going to die! And there was nothing no one could do about it. Well, this just got suckier, didn't it!

I kept pressed back against the wall, trying to keep as still as possible. And it you have ADHD; you'll know how difficult that is! Seriously! And the silence didn't help any. ADHD mainly hyperactive-impulsive – which was the subtype I had – meant: I was unable to sit still, especially in calm or quiet surroundings; I was constantly fidgeting; I was unable to settle to tasks; I had excessive physical movement; I talked excessively; I was unable to wait for a turn – though this was the only one I _didn't_ have –; I acted without thinking; I interrupted conversations; had little or no sense of danger. This was me and I was proud of who I was. But right now, it was annoying me to no end. Trying to keep quiet and still made my skin crawl; made me feel sick and itchy. I lifted my right hand to scratch at the back of my neck and the top of my back, while my left did the same to my right forearm.

"Stiles?" the annoyed growl came from somewhere to my right, since Derek had moved away from the door.

I didn't answer, just continued to pull at the skin with my nails, trying in vain to get rid of the itch. It only took a second for the scratch to be _just_ in my forearm, that chosen spot becoming very red, very fast. But it seemed that no matter what I did to it – left it, scratched it, pressed my palm/fist to it – it just got _worse_! Before today, the last time was sixth grade, my first day of Junior High. It hadn't happened since then! The silence – or nerves – made that damn itchy feeling come back. So that was why I tried to avoid the silence at all times. Unless I wanted it to be silent. Sometimes I liked the silence. But it had to be one of those days. Right now, a combination of nerves and the silence just made it all the more worse.

I didn't know I broke the skin of my forearm until it started to sting and a hand had grabbed my wrist. My head snapped up quickly, coming face to face with Derek. A frowning Derek. A... _worried_ – was that worried or concerned? Wait they're the same thing aren't they? – Derek. But none of that got rid of the nerves or the guilt that was still bubbling away inside of me, gnawing at my very flesh! Dramatic? Yes. True? Fuck yeah!

"What is your problem?" Derek asked, still growling, just not as angry as before.

I struggled to get my wrist free from his super werewolf strength grip as I sighed and explained why there was scratching and why he should let go. Of course he didn't, why would he?

"Derek, just let go!" I shouted, my voice raising an octave.

"No." he replied, simply, keeping his grip easily.

"Dude! Come on, you... _Eugh_! You don't know what it's like! Just let the fuck go, man!"

"No."

And this definitely wasn't good. Especially since it was then that I remembered that I hadn't taken my Adderall... And that they were currently in my backpack... Which was downstairs... Yeah, so, this was not good! Groaning, I let my head fall back, hitting it against the wall... Repeatedly. Of course that was when Derek dragged me _away_ from the wall. Glaring at him, I felt the muscles in my arms jump from the strain of not scratching the itch, feeling the burning feeling spread. It was more intense now, more painful.

"Can you, like, order one of them to bring my backpack up here?!" I snapped, twitching slightly, voice rising in pitch a little more.

"Why?" he replied – man, why couldn't he just _do it_?!

"Because I need my Adderall, that's _why_!"

Derek let out a breath, huffing, as he moved towards the drawers beside his bed – still keeping a hold of my arms in one hand. I followed, unwillingly, as he moved to open the drawer and rummaged inside. He pulled out a see through orange pot, holding them to me.

Ok, what? This was the exact type of Adderall I had and the exact dosage... The hell?! But why was I going to complain right now? Derek let go of my right wrist, placing the pill in my hand. I had been taking these for so long that I could just swallow them, without water. It would take half an hour for the pill to actually take effect but, funnily enough, I would start to calm down and de-crazy-fy straight away.

The pill took away some of the burning need to scratch at my forearm, but it didn't take it away completely. So, yeah, I was still irritable. And, again, the silence wasn't helping. As I went to speak, having no idea what I would have said, Derek filled in the silence.

"Scott suggested a while ago it might be useful having those here." Derek muttered, pointing to the orange pot, now sitting on top of the drawers. "Just in case."

And what could I say to that? How does anyone really respond to that? But it wasn't like I had time to.

"Look, what you said Friday night..." he started.

"I'm sorry!" I interrupted. "I didn't mean to, I just snapped! It's just, they all looked so sad and, _dude_ , they still need to have that bit of encouragement. Especially with this specific group of people! I mean, all those things that they did were really big for all of them and they felt like all their hard work was for nothing. I didn't mean to say it, even if it is true, but I can't stand it when things like that happen to anyone else, especially the eight of them."

Ok, talking. Talking good. Talking took my mind off of the itch. Which was still there!

"What do you mean 'to anyone else'?" Derek asked, rising an eyebrow.

Shit. I hadn't meant to say that. Why did I say that?! Thing was, it wasn't _just_ Derek that was hearing this. Five other wolves were and they were reiterating to three other humans! Well, most likely. Damn it! Man, I had the worst luck! But it wasn't like I could lie. Werewolf hearing and stuff. Sighing, I deflated in defeat, and Derek actually allowed us to sit on the edge of his bed.

"I meant that I know what it's like. To do something that you've worked so hard at, but no one can give you that little pat on the back." I explained. "Mom first got ill when I was seven, around the same time that we had my ADHD confirmed, _finally_. The same year I won an art competition within the school, I was miraculously raised a level in English and I passed the little maths test we had. I knew my mom was ill, so I didn't care...but it was still a little...disheartening, I guess."

I stared down at the floor as I spoke, trying not to think about how close we were actually sitting, or how I wanted to just shut up and demand to know why he had acted like such a Sourwolf, or just apologize again and ask him not to kill me. But I didn't. I kept talking. Because, come on, it's me.

"That same thing happened when I was eight, this time with: a science test, a maths challenge and passing another grade in guitar, accept this time with a distinction. Yeah, I play guitar, but not the point right now." I continued as I saw the almost surprised look of Derek's face. "When I was nine: passed a singing grade, shut up you can question that later, memorized my part for the school play, trust me that's fucking difficult when you're me, and managed to actually use the oven without burning myself. There was more after that, but I couldn't really care about it after mom died when I was ten. But after a few years and dad and I had started to move on...it's really only been lacrosse that dad's said anything to me about."

I still didn't look up. I noticed how the burning itch had disappeared now that I was talking more and more, but I still wanted to scratch at the skin there, just for something to do with my hands if, you know, Derek let go of my other wrist.

"I'm used it now, it's fine." I added. "I just... I hate it when someone else has to go through that, and I just get so mad... And mom was always saying that I needed to watch my temper if I hadn't taken my Adderall or if I was getting a little stressed out."

* * *

This time, I was thankful for the silence that had stretched out after I had finished speaking. Talking about things like that, especially things to do with my mom, always made me go quiet. I used to think it was because I wanted a minute to remember everything we did, or have a few minutes silence to be respectful... These days I had decided it was to stop myself from bursting into floods of tears. Derek didn't seem to mind the silence. If he did then he didn't do anything about it, though it wasn't like I could see him since I still refused to look up.

"I don't know how." Derek muttered.

Now that got me to look up.

"It's been so long since..." Derek sighed, trying to collect his thoughts. "When I was a kid, the whole Pack was always there to tell you what you did right and what you could do to improve...it was nice... After the fire, when it was just Laura and me, we tried to keep doing that. It was difficult at first, but we started to ease back into it. Then she came back here and Peter killed her."

Derek glared at the wall in front of him, looking as if he was contemplating punching a hole through it.

"I haven't known how to do anything like that in years. I don't even know where to start with something like that." Derek continued. "Being an Alpha, I can _feel_ the pain my Pack go through. I could feel it for all of them, but I had no idea what to do to help... I didn't realise it was you until you fixing it until you took Allison and Lydia off. Ever since then I've been watching what you've done with them, trying to figure out how, maybe, I could..."

And now I felt even more like a total dick! Guilt overload! And all I wanted to do was reach over and hug the Sourwolf! And I _really_ couldn't help but do that when the glare turned into that sad and pained puppy face! And surprisingly, Derek didn't stop me.


	11. Hug

**Stiles **

I didn't really know who needed the hug more, me or Derek. I was surprised, though, when Derek actually hugged me back, his arms around my waist. I mean, Derek – Sourwolf, Mr Broody McAlpha, Mr Sour-grumpy-pants-wolf, Mr Alpha, Lord Sour-McGrumpy-wolf, Angry Pants, Red Eyes – he's never hugged anyone! Well, probably not since the fire, but he doesn't hug people! But that was what he was doing right now, with me.

_Ha! Knew I was right! The big guy only needed a hug!_

My chest tightened slightly as Derek turned towards me even more, burying his head in the crook of my neck. _Geez, what happened to Sourwolf?_ Something I hated, along side of people not being recognised for something they've done? When people don't realise when someone is suffering, even if they're not showing it. But that's what I did. I did exactly that. And that made me feel even worse.

"I'm really, really sorry." I mumbled, moving so I could tighten my arms around his neck. "I didn't... I never... I should have... I'm sorry. If you want I can help, you know? You didn't have to go all creepy, stalker wolf. You could have just asked. So, yeah, help, I can do that. I'm _really_ sorry!"

"Don't wo..." Derek started.

"No! Don't do that! No, no, no, no, no, no, no! Don't tell me not to worry, that only makes me worry! I'm helping, end of, I have to, it's my duty to! I will help and you won't have a bunch of sad puppies, and you'll be a lot happier and... Oh!"

"What?"

I quickly wormed my way away from Sadwolf, and over to the door. How could we have not thought of it before?! Besides, it wasn't like anyone of the Pack would be able to stop us, since I heard the front door close and cars start as soon as Derek had started trying to get out of his room. Derek and I were alone in the house, and no one would be able to stop us.

"Do you have, like, a screw driver or something in here?" I asked.

"What?" Derek repeated, standing up, confused.

"You'll see, just... Do you?"

Surprisingly, yes he did. I didn't ask why the hell he had it in his room – like he had the Adderall – because, really, I was very grateful for it! I placed the end of the screw driver in the bolt of the lock, which was placed on this side of the door.

"Honestly dude, switch the lock around." I muttered, as I twisted the screw driver.

I didn't have to turn around to know that Derek was standing there, frowning, trying to figure out what I was doing. But I knew he would thank me after all of this. I kept twisting until... _Click!_ I grinned as I swung the door open and broke the line of mountain ash.

"Yes, I know, I'm amazing." I beamed.

"You couldn't think of this earlier?" Derek asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Hey! I hadn't had any Adderall!"

And no, I did not whine. Nope, not at all, no proof. Derek just raised the other eyebrow to join the other, so, being the child I am, I stuck my tongue out at him, before walking downstairs.

* * *

Derek and I were sitting in the living room – me on one of the couches, Derek in his arm chair – the TV on quietly. Ever since we had made our downstairs, neither of us had said anything. Or hugged again. Which was a shame, because I liked the hugging. Even if it was because of a sad reason. I sighed, letting myself fall backwards and starfishing as much as I could over the couch.

I was going to keep my promise. I was going to help Derek get better with letting the Pack know when they did good. We'd just have to start small. But how small, was the question. What would make the Pack feel like they were being recognised for something great that they had done? What would make them feel proud of themselves, if what they did was being recognised by their Alpha?

"You know," I started, staring up at the ceiling. "You could just start by saying 'well done', or something. Or nodding and smiling, you know. Just little things to show that you noticed and that they did a good job."

"Stiles, I told you..."

"I don't care. I'm going to worry, and I'm going to help. So suck it up, I'm stubborn."

Derek sighed, and I could just tell he was glaring. It was obvious that he would be glaring right about now. But he knew, oh he _knew_ , that I wasn't going to let this go. Oh no, I was only getting started and, at the end of all of this, I would have made a praise giving Alpha out of the Sourwolf. And he knew it! It would work!

* * *

It was later that very day, once everyone else had turned up – they were surprised that we had gotten out – that Derek decided it was a great time for a little training. It was probably to get the younger wolves back for the little plan that I had, apparently, given them the idea for. Yeah, that was an awkward one to explain to Derek.

I saw for myself though just how far Isaac had come though, since, this time, he beat Scott in their little 'fight'. Everyone kid of stopped when that had happened. Staring at Isaac, shocked and surprised. The pup in question just grinned, blushing slightly at the attention.

"Good, Isaac." Derek nodded from where he was leaning. "You're really improving, both of you. Isaac, try getting a little more force behind your attacks. And Scott, focus a bit more on blocking. Try again."

Isaac and Scott both turned to Derek, blinking at him owlishly, until Derek motioned them to go ahead already. I was kind of surprised at how easily that had happened... I mean, that was _too_ easy... I noticed the slacked jaws of the rest of the Pack as they all stared at the Alpha, before turning to watch Isaac and Scott, all of them surprised at how Derek had seemed to have suddenly changed.

I looked over to the Alpha in question, seeing the sad yet happy look on his face, accompanied with a small, soft smile. When he turned to face me, I smiled back, giving him a thumbs up. It looked like I had really gotten through...


	12. They Paved Paradise

**Stiles **

Over the next few days, Derek seemed to be handing out praise to the pack as if it was water! And as soon as Derek became a bit more comfortable with it and familiarised himself with how to do it...the Pack just seemed to function better. If that makes sense. Everyone was happier. Hell, they were more than just _happy_ , they were... I couldn't even find a word to describe it. Wait! No, that's a lie!

_Everyone was starting to become a family._

It was nice to see. Really nice. This is what they all needed, somewhere to belong. In one way or another they all felt like they were outsiders, even if they didn't admit it outright. I knew they felt like that. Whether it was because of family, or confidence issues, or... _whatever_. Sure, it was still a work in progress. I would have to remind Derek to actually _do_ something at times. To be honest, I think Derek didn't realise how much they all need this. Even _him_.

There was less strain on the relationships between the Betas and their Alpha now as well as with each other, all of them finally feeling connected and stronger now than they used to. It was clear in their training that something had changed, and that something was the support they were getting from each other. I couldn't wait to see what would happen in a year's time... Think of what they'd be like then!

Hell! Derek was even being less of a Sourwolf! Especially towards me...

* * *

After a few more days...I started to feel useless again. I started feeling like I did back when this all had started, back when it was just Derek and Scott and I was just the researching sidekick. I didn't feel needed anymore. Which, yeah, was...ok, I guess. Ish. Not really... I liked being needed, I liked being useful, I liked feeling I could help... But right now, after I had helped, it was like I was just the researcher again. A nobody. The Robin to everyone else's Batman. The strange, hyperactive, ADHD kid that people barely tolerated and liked to shove into lockers or walls.

I sighed, sinking down into my desk chair when that realisation hit, on October 13th. I sat there, listening to Sam Tsui's version of 'We Are Young' by Fun. The guy was good. _Really_ good. So, yeah, sitting there listening to him sing, while different songs, while thinking about all of this. I always loved listening to music with my mom when I was a kid. I used to sing with her just for the hell of it. I missed that. But when her favourite song came on, on my laptop, I had to sing along. Well, pause it, grab the guitar mom and dad got me for my tenth birthday, make sure it was in tune, place my capo on the first fret, then pressed play the song again so I could play and sing along to it. I mean, who could resist to singing along to 'Big Yellow Taxi' by Counting Crows.

" _They paved paradise and put up a parking lot_  
With a pink hotel, a boutique, and a swingin' hot spot  
Don't it always seem to go  
That you don't know what you got 'til it's gone  
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot"

I closed my eyes as I started to sing, the chord pattern ingrained in my muscle memory, so I knew I would go to the right stings and chord shape.

" _They took all the trees, and put 'em in a tree museum_  
And they charged the people a dollar and a half to see them  
No, no, no  
Don't it always seem to go  
That you don't know what you got 'til it's gone  
They paved paradise, and put up a parking lot"

The thing was, I did actually write my own songs. Mainly about my friends or family, but I never mentioned their names. I had written a song about every member of the Pack, including Jackson and Derek.

" _Hey farmer, farmer, put away your DDT_  
I don't care about spots on my apples,  
Leave me the birds and the bees  
Please  
Don't it always seem to go  
That you don't know what you got 'til it's gone  
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot  
Hey now, they paved paradise to put up a parking lot  
Why not?"

The chorus of songs was always the catchiest bit. Well, that was the whole point, but still. I always loved the chorus'.

" _Listen, late last night, I heard the screen door slam_  
And a big yellow taxi took my girl away  
Don't it always seem to go  
That you don't know what you got 'til it's gone  
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot  
Well, don't it always seem to go  
That you don't know what you got 'til it's gone  
They paved paradise to put up a parking lot  
Why not?  
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot  
Hey hey hey  
Paved paradise and put up a parking lot"

I loved the instrumentals in this song as well as the actual lyrics. Especially the guitar bits. Those were my favourites.

" _I don't wanna give it_  
Why you wanna give it  
Why you wanna giving it all away  
Hey, hey, hey  
Now you wanna give it  
I should wanna give it  
Now you wanna giving it all away

 _I don't wanna give it_  
Why you wanna give it  
Why you wanna giving it all away  
Hey, hey, hey  
Now you wanna give it  
I should wanna give it  
Cos you giving it all away  
Hey, hey, givin' it all,  
givin' it all...away"

I didn't even realise I was grinning to myself until then. But I couldn't even stop myself, no matter what I was thinking about before.

" _Why do you want me?_  
Why do you want me?  
Cos' you're givin' it all away,  
Hey, paved paradise to put up a parking lot."

Yeah... Mom had great taste in music. And it was times that I felt like this that I wished she was here just a little bit more than I did every day.


	13. Birthday

**Stiles**

October 18th, all of us – the Pack, Melissa McCall, dad and me – had gathered at the Hale house. Derek had texted Scott, telling him to get to the house ASAP for an emergency Pack meeting, which the poor boy believed. So he rushed over to the house, on his bike, at six on that Thursday evening.

His arrival was obvious when he crashed through the front door, literally falling to the floor, half in the living room, half out.

" _SURPRISE!"_

Yeah, so we may have tricked him a tiny little bit... But it was the only way we could get him to Derek's house, no questions asked, for his surprise party for his eighteenth birthday. It was quite funny watching my best friend's eyes widen as he realised that he had been stitched up, before grinning and jumping back up to his feet. He glared at me and his mom, knowing we would have been the ones to organise it all... It wasn't our fault, I mean he was Melissa's son and my best friend...it was, like, our duty! Melissa and I just grinned back at him, 'low' fiving behind our backs.

"Stop that, you love it." Allison laughed, dragging him further into the living room.

Of course he was then too distracted by Allison and food to actually complain about Melissa and me doing anything.

* * *

"How did you keep this a secret from me anyway?" Scott asked me later that night, as we sat outside on the steps of the front porch.

"I'm good at keeping some things quiet." I grinned. "Did it with the wolf secret, didn't I?"

The wolf just shook his head, laughing, as he nudged me. I would admit that I missed this. Hanging out, just the two of us. It had been just the two of us for so long that I had just gotten used to it. But...

"I'm glad we have the others." Scott said, quietly.

"Me too, buddy." I smiled. "Can you imagine what it would be like if Peter hadn't bit you?"

"Life would be simpler... Not nearly as fun... Plus, we wouldn't have the Pack."

"Nice to finally belong, huh?"

"Yeah. Didn't think we needed it at first, we had each other, the two amigos. But..."

"Realised that was bullshit?"

"Pretty much."

Scott and I grinned at each other. It was true. There were times when we thought we didn't need anyone else. We were friends, that was all we needed. Who cared if everyone else thought we were losers or whatever? But once the Pack started coming together...we realised that, actually, we had been so stupidly wrong. I mean, here were this group of people who we had so much in common with, but wouldn't have thought about hanging out with because of some stupid reason that our brains came up with. Even Jackson was alright to be around, especially since now I knew he was just a giant puppy who needs some reassurance, love and attention from his friends. That was all any of them – us – were really. Even Derek. Probably even me...

My mom would love these guys. I mean, she already loved Scott, but the rest of them I mean. Even Derek. She was one of those mothers who could instantly tell if a person was the right kind of person to be friends with their child, I knew that from the start. Mom would even have gotten dad to warm up to the idea of it quicker, too. It was, like, her super power.

"You're thinking about your mom." Scott said, quietly.

"How did you..." I started, whispering.

"You always get this distant look... She would have loved everyone."

"I know. I wish she was here, man."

Scott nodded, throwing an arm around my shoulders. I was so used to this gesture from him after being friends for, literally, our whole lives that it didn't feel weird. Sometimes it felt weird if it was someone else in the Pack, but Scott was practically my brother...

"Hey, happy birthday, dude." I grinned, patting him on the back.

"Thanks." he beamed. "And thanks for the party, too."

I shrugged. It was as if he didn't know what was in a best friend's job description.

* * *

Derek was actually less sour that night. He talked to people – I think he was just glad to have _actual_ adults present – and he was _smiling_! I didn't have to prompt him to do anything, at all. I was oddly proud. But, again, with the sadness.

Soon, Scott was actually _forced_ by his mother to sit down and open presents, Derek even helping getting him to sit on the couch! It was quite funny to watch. He did relent though when the first gift was pushed into his hands, though, grinning likes an idiot.

He was down the last one in about five minutes, using his wolfy powers to get through all of them. The last one? Mine. Scott and I always did this, opening any gifts we got from each other last, unless stated otherwise. I was fine with going last though... I had placed everything I got Scott in a box, all of the things wrapped up. Hell, I even wrapped the box! Yeah, I know! I sat there, wringing my hands as he started tearing off the paper, getting curious glances from everyone in the room. I hadn't told anyone, not even dad or Melissa, what I had gotten him... Someone would have blabbed at some point!

In ten seconds flat, Scott was lifting the lid off of the brown box, glancing inside.

"Seriously, dude? More wrapping paper?!" he laughed, lifting out one of the items.

"Hey, I wanted to make it fun, ok?" I chuckled. "You should know this by now, I do it every year!"

In reply, Scott just grabbed the wrapping paper he had already torn off, scrunched it into a ball and chucked it at my head. Yeah, that sounded about right.

"Before you open anything else, there is a reason behind each thing... Only we know what." I told him. "There's a list in there somewhere, just in case you forgot."

Scott frowned, looking intrigued at the same time. Carefully now, he peeled off the paper covering the item he held in his hand. I could already tell what it was by the shape of it, and my leg started to jump as I waited. That item in particular happened to be a black t-shirt with ' _The Light's Flashing_ ' across it in bold, red letters. Scott took one look at it before snorting.

"Is that from when you boys..." dad started, grinning.

"Took your camera when we were four? Yeah." I chuckled. "I found a few of the videos the other day, so I watched them and saw that particular clip."

"That was a fun day." Scott sighed, happily.

I nodded, before Scott returned to the box, looking more enthusiastic than before. Everyone else seemed to be drawn into what would come out next too.

Next came: a toy duck, a cookie with a singing lesson brochure attached to it, a photo album, a book – not one I bought – and a CD. It was only when Scott got to the bottom that he read out the list:

_**The shirt – when we were four and borrowed my dad's camera.** _

_**The duck – we got attacked by them and you refused to go anywhere near them...ever. Plus, you're jealous of Wolfy, so know you have your own furry friend.** _

_**The cookie + brochure – when my mom forced us – mainly you – to sing with her when we were kids.** _

_**The photo album – you always complain about not having anything to remember 'the good old days' or put any of the pictures you have now...** _

_**The book – you're always pestering me to write stories and let you read them, so now you can be the first to read the first in my series...** _

_**The CD – you made me promise when we were nine that, for your 18** _ _**th** _ _**birthday, I would let you hear me sing and play guitar...** _

"Quick question, before we get into anything else: who's Wolfy?" Erica asked after a quiet moment.

"The toy wolf my mom bought me for my second birthday." I explained.

Looking back to my best friend, I saw him staring at the list, to the gifts in the box, before back to the list again. All before taking out the CD.

"Listening to it. Now." Scott told me.

And yeah, panicky... I was just about willing to let Scott hear, but everyone else?! Even the humans could tell how scared I was by that. But then Scott gave me the puppy eyes and I had to give in. You had to be heartless to resist! Even _Derek_ couldn't!

So that was how everyone, on Scott's 18th birthday, heard me sing. And the first song that came on? Big Yellow Taxi by Counting Crows. The reaction? My dad started, silently, crying. Oh, and everyone else was staring at me.

"Thanks, buddy." Scott grinned, giving me a one armed hug. "They are all awesome."

I just grinned back, looking away as everyone continued to listen to the CD.

"Stiles, you are _so_ singing for us more often." Allison laughed.

"Definitely live." Lydia agreed.

"And with the guitar." Erica smirked.

And there was no way I was getting out of this.


	14. What? Why?

**Stiles**

Yeah, I wasn't needed anymore. It had been a week since Scott's birthday – now October 25th – and I had totally just gone back to the research nerd. The Pack were getting on great, Derek was a whiz with his new-found ability to praise his Pack... There was nothing they really needed from me except research. And nothing had come along in a while, so I was basically useless. And wasn't _that_ always fun?

I sighed as I collapsed backwards onto my bed, groaning as my back hitting the soft mattress. Earlier that day had been nothing but watching the wolves train. I had sat with my back to the basement wall...turned out to be a bad idea, since now my back was _killing_ me – sure that wasn't the only reason, but I'm blaming that! I closed my eyes as I lay there, even though it was only two in the afternoon. I left early...not that anyone really seemed to notice... Even if they did, they didn't show it. But I couldn't complain, I had helped fix the dynamics within the Pack, helped them all get closer by getting Sourwolf to relax a bit more and open up a little. I helped. But I still couldn't help feeling like absolute shit.

That's understandable... Right? I wasn't being as stupid as I thought I was, was I? I lifted my hands to my face, causing a tinge of pain to slide down my spine, dragging them over my face, pulling my cheeks down, until they slipped off of my chin. Right now I didn't want to think about it. I just wanted to close my eyes and go to sleep.

Yeah, sleep. Sleep sounded _so_ good right now! But I really couldn't go to sleep in what I was wearing, too uncomfortable. So, carefully, standing up, I took what I was wearing off, leaving it in a pile of my floor, pulling on the sweats and ratty old t-shirt I always used for bed. Much comfier, much softer, much better. Heaving one last sigh, I crawled back into bed, under the covers, lying on my stomach. I was asleep in seconds.

* * *

I woke up to the sound of my window sliding open. I didn't move, I didn't make a sound. I just wanted to lie here, in my bed, and... Well, yeah, ok, I didn't know how to finish that, but my point still stands! Besides, it's not like I had to look over to know who the hell it was. It was always the same wolf, every time. The others always knocked or called or texted first, so I knew that they were there.

I didn't expect to feel the side of my bed dip under an added weight, which got me to turn my head to look away from the wall and towards the Sourwolf. I looked past him, at my alarm clock – 6:30pm. I had slept for four and a half hours...

"What?" I mumbled, burying my face into my pillow.

Silence. Really? The guy breaks into my house – into my _room_ – and he says _nothing_. Oh for the love of Go...

"You left." Derek said. "Why?"

I turned my head again, this time looking back at him. I mean, huh?

"I repeat: what?" I asked, frowning a little.

"You really expected us not to notice?" Derek sighed. "You're an idiot."

"Gee, thanks."

"So, why. Did. You Leave?"

Sighing, for what felt like the hundredth time that day, I rolled on to my back, wincing as another spike of pain hit. Now, was I going to tell the truth or was I going to _bend_ the truth slightly, so I wasn't technically lying yet not telling the truth either? I mean, I could just say about my back, I mean that would _technically_ not be lying... Or I could say I was tired, again _technically_ not lying, he did walk in on me sleeping... Or I could...

"The truth, Stiles." Derek sighed.

Slowly, I sat up, wincing again, pushing myself up to lean against my pillows and the headboard. It was weird, sitting next to Derek, in my bed... Especially with what happened the last time we were sitting on a bed together - *cough*hug*cough*. So, I stared straight ahead as I spoke.

"You guys don't need me anymore." I muttered. "You're doing fine; the Pack's doing fine... I'm useless until you need a researcher, and you haven't needed me lately. So, I left... Not like I thought anyone would notice, no one ever really notices things when it comes to me, but...that's ok, I guess. I mean, I'm not that important, I'm just one squishy human. I'm a non-important squishy human, who doesn't really have anyone that knows him all too well. But hey, who cares about my lonely soul, right? Right. I mean, there's..."

And then I couldn't talk anymore. Why? Well, Derek was kissing me. _Wait, WHAT?!_ Derek _freaking_ Hale was _kissing me_! _Willingly_! _What the actual fuck?!_ I just sat there stupidly, not really knowing what to do, hands pressed to either shoulder as he hovered above me.

This, yeah _this_ , I had not expected to happen. Dreamed of it? Plenty of times. Wanted it to happen? Fuck yeah! Thought it would happen? Come on, really, I _never_ thought it would happen! Man, I wished it would, but I never thought... And now, here I was, suffocating on Derek Hale's tongue in my mouth. _Oh my GOD! HIS TONGUE IS IN MY MOUTH!_ Well...it was for a moment, and then he pulled away.

I stared at him, wide eyed, panting and most likely as red as a fucking cherry! I mean... _holy mother of God!_

"Y-You kissed me..." I whispered, once my brain had finished short circuiting.

"I did." Derek nodded.

"Wh-Why did you k-kiss me?"

"You were lying. We do still need you. You are important. You are _never_ useless. Anyway, I always notice things when it comes to you. You're the reason everything in the Pack has started working. You're the reason why I keep remembering to actually _say_ something. You're the reason why this Pack is still going strong. Not me, not Scott, not Lydia. _You_. And if you think everything you said is true, then we have a problem."

"So you k-kissed me..."

Derek rolled his eyes, before looking me right in the eyes.

"You're an idiot." he told me. "But that's why I like you."

"Wh-What?!" I – almost – shrieked.

"You heard me. Now, shut up."

Yeah, kind of had no choice when he had his tongue in my mouth again... Hang on... _AGAIN?!_


	15. Ask Derek

**Stiles**

When I woke up on October 26th – Friday – I could honestly say that I _really_ didn't want to get up for school. For one thing, it was school. For another, the Pack would smell Derek. Knowing them, they would jump to the conclusion that we had had sex, when really all that happened was Derek kissing me and me falling asleep on him after he took the pain in my back away. And it wasn't my fault that my sleep infested brain made me tell him why exactly I had bruises on my back...

But anyway, Friday, last day of the week. I woke up by myself, of course, and after dragging myself through my usual morning routine, I trudged out to my Jeep. I'm pretty sure I yawned all the way to school, even though last night was one of the best night's sleeps I had had in...well, in probably forever! I couldn't help but smile as I thought about it, lying there with a wall of burning hot muscle plastered to my back for most of the night, during one of the colder months. I mean, what was not to like?! Not to mention the fact that Derek even left a little note. Yeah, that's right! A _note_! Derek- _freaking_ -Hale left a _note_ , saying he'd be back tonight. It was so out of character, but it was very welcomed. I mean, hell! Would you complain?! Have you seen Derek's...well, _everything_?! Don't get me wrong, it's not just the way he looks. I like him for him... Ok, yeah, so the small issue that led us to where we currently were maybe not so much, _but everything else_ I liked about him!

Maybe I was just a little _too_ enthusiastic about this...

* * *

As soon as I opened my locker, I had just enough time to move my hand away before it was slammed closed again. I didn't even have to look to the side to know who it was, I could tell by the jacket sleeve I could see that belonged to the person keeping his hand on my locker.

"Hey, Scott." I sighed, grinning a little. "Any reason why I'm not allowed in my locker?"

"You ditched and you smell like Derek." he replied, quietly. "Why?"

Slowly, I turned to face my friend. He wasn't the only one there though. In fact, the _whole_ Pack was standing there with him, all waiting for me to answer. Now, did I want to tell them and then face a pissed Alpha if I wasn't supposed to say anything? _Or_ , do I try to doge the question completely? Hm, decisions, decisions...

"Ask ol' Red Eyes. I have to get to English." I grinned, thanking God that I had my English book in my backpack.

I was surprised that I was able to get away from them all and to my class room... Honestly, I would have thought they'd try to stop me...

* * *

I was about ready to just go to sleep during my last lesson – Chemistry. I was surprised that, over the time of helping out my fellow Pack mates and Alpha, Harris hadn't given me detention. He still wasn't giving it to me know, either... I was a little creeped out, if I was being perfectly honest... Not that I minded _not_ having detention from him every week. I swear, he has it in for me sometimes...

"Are you seriously going to make us ask Derek?" Danny asked, as we started on our work. "I mean, sure, he's changed now, and we owe you for that... But do we _really_ have to ask him?"

"Do you whine this much to Isaac?" I replied, raising an eyebrow at him.

Well, at least I knew if I wanted Danny to stop talking all I had to do was bring Isaac up. The Pup in question even turned around at the mention of his name, blushing slightly and poking his tongue out childishly.

Some would think that I set those two up just to make fun of them... That would be wrong. I did it to make them both happy. Sure, _after_ I had set them up I took as a chance to be annoying, but they both knew I was only teasing. And I wasn't the only one, the whole Pack did it! And Jackson was worse, since he and Danny have been friends for _years_...just like Scott and me!

"But to answer your question, yes." I continued. "You need to feel comfortable asking or telling your Alpha things. Besides, you know where I am he starts acting like a dick."

"It'll just be easier if you tell us." Isaac muttered, from in front of us.

"Too bad, Pup."

"You suck."

"I though that's what you and Danny do."

"I hate you."

"You love me, and you know it."

* * *

Ok, yeah, so I guess I was kind of an ass making them all wait and ask Derek after school, but I didn't really want to answer it myself. For one, I had no idea how to tell them. Well...I did have an idea, but how could I without telling them everything I told Derek? I didn't want any of them knowing that. I didn't want to make them feel bad when they didn't do anything. So, yeah, maybe I was acting like a little bit of a coward to, but...I didn't want to make them feel bad. They're practically family, and I don't do that to family. That was why I never brought up to dad all the things I told Derek when we were locked inside his room...

"Stiles, you're coming to Derek's, right?" Isaac asked, as we made our way towards the cars after school.

"Yeah..." I started.

"Are you going to sneak off early again?"

"No, not this time."

"Can I ride in your Jeep with you then?"

Rolling my eyes slightly, I continued to walk towards my car. I already knew that Isaac would take it as a yes, so I didn't actually have to tell him.

I expected it from the moment Isaac had asked me if I was going to Derek's, which was why it didn't surprise me when Isaac tried to get to tell him why I left early yesterday and smelt like Derek. And, yeah, still kind of creepy that they can smell those kinds of things... But I stayed strong. Well, by that I mean I didn't look at Isaac's face. It was easier that way; you wouldn't fall into the puppy trap if you didn't look at him. It did annoy the Pup though, so much so that when we actually got to Derek's, he jumped out of my Jeep before it had stopped moving and went straight over to Danny. It was just a _little_ funny.


	16. You're An Idiot

**Stiles**

It was rather entertaining watching them try to decide who would ask Derek. I mean, they all whispering about it, seeming to forget that said Alpha could _hear_ them. I just lay there on my stomach on the floor, laughing quietly to myself, waiting to see what would happen. All I needed was some popcorn, some coke and I'd be set! It was weird how, as soon as I thought that, a can appeared in front of my face, hanging there. I took the can, looking up to see a certain wolf standing there, watching the rest of the Pack just like I was, a sparkle of amusement in his eyes.

_Huh, that's new._

"Cheers, Sourwolf." I smiled, looking back to the others who were still whispering away.

I heard more than saw Derek walk towards the armchair he usually sits in, angling himself to keep watching everyone. It was amazing how the eight of them had no idea that he could actually hear them. It was absolutely brilliant! But that was because Derek didn't know what they were going to ask yet. But still, it was pretty funny watching them all.

At the moment it seemed to be between Scott and Isaac. Scott since he was, basically, Derek's second, being the first one out of everyone to be turned, even if it wasn't by Derek himself. So yeah, I could see why he was an option. Isaac? Well, have you _seen_ Isaac? He could get you to tell him anything with his little puppy face! Even _Derek_ couldn't resist that face, he's not heartless! Yeah, they had two very good choices.

Now, who where they actually going to pick...

* * *

By the time they actually got into the living room, they had already wasted an hour. I grinned at them, trying so hard not to laugh. Trying to make them believe that I was just waiting for them to ask, not that I had been watching them this whole time. But then Derek had to go and ruin it.

"You finally decided then." Derek said. "So, Isaac, you going to ask me what you've been nominated to or just stand there?"

That, mixed with the looks on everyone's faces, broke my resolve, sending me into a fit of hysterics. It was a good thing my can was empty, otherwise there would be a nice coke stain on the floor. I went from lying on my stomach to lying on my back, griping my sides with the opposite hand, trying to get them to stop hurting. But I couldn't stop laughing.

I should be ashamed that it took me, at least, twenty minutes to stop laughing to let them speak, but it just made me way too happy. But in the end I did stop. Show time.

"Really I think Scott should be asking." I mused, before they could start. "He brought it up first. It's kind of mean making Isaac do it."

Isaac sighed, everyone else looking anywhere but him.

"That's what I said." Isaac muttered. "But _no_ , Isaac's bound to get an answer."

"Because you are!" Scott all but shrieked. "You always do!"

"Not as much as Stiles!"

"But Stiles won't tell us and he doesn't _have_ to ask!"

" _Enough!"_

Derek's yell made everyone stop, even me. He hadn't yelled like that in a while...

"Scott. What's everyone getting so worked up about?" Derek demanded, eyes flashing red.

"We just want to know why Stiles smells so much like you, that's all." Scott muttered.

For a moment, Derek just stared at everyone. I started to think that maybe this wasn't such a good idea at all. I wondered whether or not he was going to go mad, start yelling again... But he didn't. He calmly stood up from his chair, sighing, before walking out of the living room and up the stairs.

And now I felt bad.

* * *

We didn't do much at Derek's that day, and I didn't say much to anyone. But I didn't leave. I stayed there until it was time to go. None of us even saw Derek for the rest of the day. I doubted that Boyd, Erica and Isaac even saw him after we all left.

In fact, I didn't see Derek again until that night – just like it said in his note. Dad was still at work, would be until Sunday afternoon, so I had the house to myself. Derek slid through the window, soundlessly, but I still knew when he arrived. I looked up from the book I was reading on my bed, closing it and putting it on the table beside my bed.

"Hey, Sourwolf." I said quietly.

"Why didn't you tell them?" he asked.

Ok, not what I thought he was going to say. Well, ok, I thought he was going to say something like that, but I didn't know he was going to say it so calmly. I thought he was going to be mad, but he didn't seem to be. And knowing he would be able to tell if I was lying, I sighed before telling him what I had thought when Scott had asked me that morning.

"Firstly, I didn't know what to say. Second, I didn't know if I was supposed to say anything and if I wasn't I didn't know what you would do if and/or when you found out." I explained. "Third, if I told them, then I would have to mention why I left in the first place yesterday, and I didn't want to make them feel bad. It was no one's fault, but it I said anything then they would think it was theirs."

Derek just stood there, next to my bed, where I was sitting, just staring at me. For a moment I thought he was going to leave. Just leave. But when he moved, he moved closer. It was still a shock, it didn't matter how many times it happened the night before. I mean, would _you_ be able to get used to Derek Hale kissing you? It was everything I thought it wouldn't be, everything you wouldn't associate with Derek if you didn't know him. You would think it would fast, filthy, hard and rough...but it was the total opposite. I would like to see anyone else get used to _that_!

"You're an idiot." Derek whispered, barely pulling back.


	17. Cockblocked

**Stiles**

" _You're an idiot."_ Derek had whispered, barely pulling back.

Rolling my eyes, I pushed him back slightly, so I could see him properly.

"You know, you keep saying that." I sighed. "Why am I this time?"

Derek shook his head, standing up and pulling me with him, until I was standing beside my bed, in front of him. Derek's hands moved from the grip hey had on my arms, down until he could wrap them around my hips, pulling me closer. I could feel the heat rising in my face, slowly colouring it to a bright red. My arms stayed limp by my sides, not knowing at all what to do with them. What could I do with them? I didn't realise how close Derek had brought me until I felt the soft puffs of air blow across my cheek.

For some strange reason, I could bring myself to pull or look away, so I ended up staying as close to Derek as I was and staring right at him. I could feel my heart beating, pounding against my ribcage.

"This time, you are a complete _idiot_ for the fact that you still doubt everything, even if it's staring you right in the face." Derek told me, rolling his eyes, but smiling. "If you hadn't noticed, Stiles, I like you. Kind of why I kissed you the first time and now. So, stop being an idiot already."

And who was I to argue with such a well argued point?

* * *

I couldn't, for the life of me, remember how we got from: Derek calling me an idiot, to us both standing up, making out in my room as well as getting each other naked. Not that I was complaining! Hell no! I mean, have you _seen_ Derek with more than just his t-shirt of?! It is _hot_! Like, Super-Mega-Foxy-Awesome- _HOT_! I mean, _come on_! Have you _seen_ his body? Or face? Or his anything?! Seriously!

The only thing I could do? Moan appreciatively – and embarrassingly – while his tongue was shoved into my mouth, while we had nothing but our boxers on. And I _really_ couldn't help the surprised – and, again, embarrassing – gasp that I made when my back connected, gently, with the wall between my bed and window. I will admit, my back had been missing the wall, but I think this was a much better use for it than what Derek used it for previously. It was even better I was no longer touching the ground, but had both arms and legs around Derek as he held me up between himself and the wall, never breaking the kiss. Derek lowered his head to the meeting of my neck and shoulder, his lips brushing over the skin there lightly, barely even touching. So lightly that I barely felt it. But then he started to put more pressure on the spot, pressing harder after a short amount of time. It wasn't long before the gentle swipes stopped on one spot, his mouth opening to suck on the area. It was moments like there that I was glad my dad was at work and no one from the Pack was around, especially with the sounds I was unwillingly making. But that only seemed to drive Derek on, since human teeth were soon brought in to play...and tongue... I could do nothing but hold on to his hair tighter, pulling him closer and lean my head back against the wall, as I ended up curving slightly into him, arching off of it.

I couldn't help the whine after the spot on my neck became too sensitive to bear. Derek, noticing this, just dragged his tongue up my neck, slowly – it really shouldn't have been as much of a turn on as it was – biting the lobe of my ear as he came to it, before gently running the sip of it over the shell. I would never admit that any of this had me shivering all the time, the pleasure rolling down my spine in waves... But it wasn't like I could hide it from Derek, who was grinning wolfishly – pun intended – against my jaw.

Nosing his way down my neck, Derek stopped just above the first mark he made. Yeah, I was _extremely_ glad no one else was around! Derek shuffled closer, pressing me further into the wall as his hands tightened – _ok, when did they get to my ass?!_ So, really, it wasn't my fault that my hips kind of snapped forward, causing a low growl to come from the wolf holding me up. I couldn't help but smirking. And, come on, who I was I to pass up on an opportunity to abuse this position? So, while Derek was so fixated on my neck, I thought I'd have a bit of fun myself – it was only fair – by continuously rolling my hips into his.

The whimpers the Big Bad Alpha Wolf made was _gold_!

Everything around me was melting away, forgetting everything but this. Forgetting...

" _OH MY GOD!"_

That was so _not_ what I wanted to hear. Derek and I pulled apart, the wolf keeping me hidden as he set me back down onto the ground, grabbing my duvet off of my bed and passing it to me. I pretty much slumped onto the floor, pulling my knees in towards myself, chucking my duvet over me and blushing madly.

" _Get out!"_ Derek growled out, voice rougher and lower.

" _Oh my God!"_ Scott whined, childishly. _"Why, just why?!"_

" _Get out!"_

" _It's Stiles' house, not yours!"_

I groaned, quietly, wishing to _die_ from this embarrassment already. Only me, this could only happen to me! _Eugh_!

"Guys, I love you all and everything, and I mean this in the nicest way possible, but _please_ : _GET OUT_!"I whined.

I heard the fading snickers of the entire Pack as they left, hearing the front door shut leaving Derek and me alone. I pulled my duvet off of just my head, looking up at him. Derek held out his hand, helping me stand up. For a long time, we just stood there silently, not saying anything, and for a moment I thought it was just going to be like that until Derek decided to leave.

"So, that was different." I ended up saying, breaking the intense silence.

And just like that, Derek actually started laughing. _Laughing_! I couldn't help but stare, amazed, watching his face light up. Ok, so I had died and gone to heaven. I must have. I must have actually died from embarrassment and now I was in my own part of heaven. I mean, he was _laughing_!

Slowly, the sound faded away, leaving Derek grinning. I would not admit it out loud – like I would want people to think I was a girl – but my stomach was actually doing flips.

"Different is one way to put it." Derek chuckled – _what happened to him?_ – wrapping his arms around my torso.

I could feel my face heat up even more, as this time my hands were planted firmly against Derek's chest. Yeah, pretty sure I died.

"You know, maybe we start from the beginning." Derek said. "Are you doing anything tomorrow night?"

I shook my head, mutely, not trusting my vocal chords right now...

"Good." Derek nodded, once. "Go out with me tomorrow, just the two of us."

"Like a date?" I choked out – I payed no attention to that or the fact my voice seemed to be an octave higher than usual.

"Yes. I'll pick you up at twelve thirty. What do you say?"

I stared at Derek for a while, blinking, trying to get my head around all of this. Derek- _fucking_ -Hale had just asked me out. On a date. Was this even real?! I didn't even register nodding, but soon enough Derek was kissing me again and saying he would see me tomorrow, before putting his clothes back on and disappearing.

Yeah, that was definitely different...


	18. Ready?

**Stiles**

Saturday – October 27th... I was going on a date with Derek- _fucking_ -Hale! Me. Date. Derek. I was still in kind of a daze after what happened the day before, especially thinking about what we could have done if the rest of the Pack hadn't have shown up. Actually, when I thought of that I just got a _little_ pissed.

You don't cockblock a guy that's about to get it on with a super-mega-foxy-awesome-hot Alpha werewolf! That was just not cool!

But at least Derek seemed cool with it. He didn't seem to think it was some huge mistake. I guess I should be grateful for that.

But anyway, back to my point. It was twelve o'clock, and in half an hour Derek would be here. For our date. And I wasn't ready. In both senses – I wasn't dressed and I was kind of freaking out... Freak outs were not good. But could you blame me? It _was_ Derek!

* * *

At twelve twenty, I had finally pulled on a long sleeved blue-grey button down shirt, leaving the first two buttons left undone, which was tucked into red jeans – which Erica didn't resist to say that they 'looked way too tight to be considered clothing' whenever she saw them – and a plain red waistcoat with all four buttons done up. I had pulled on my old; warn out, black and white converse sneakers with red laces too. I wore them whenever I could get away with it...and I could definitely get away with it now.

Within the last ten minutes, I couldn't even begin to guess at how many times I had run my fingers through my hair or did _something_ with the clothes I was wearing. When I got nervous, I got fidgety as well as itchy... Right now, thankfully, I just got fidgety. Well, not thankfully, but at least I knew I wouldn't have bright red marks on my skin or start bleeding before I left the house.

No sooner had I thought that, there was a knock on the door.

_Huh, he can actually use that thing._

I could feel my heart thumping again my chest as I walked down the steps, the sound of my heart beating echoing in my ears. It was like one of those really cheesy movies when all you can hear is a heart beat until the door opens and there's that annoying beep of the flat line...

Well, it was like that, accept the flat lining bit.

Nothing could have prepared me for when I opened that door though.

Derek was wearing black jeans, a burgundy t-shirt and his leather jacket. The sleeves of his leather jacket had been pushed up to his elbows, leaving a strip of white shirt with faint red lines showing, turned up over the bottom of his jacket sleeves. With one hand in the pocket of his jeans, Derek leant against the doorframe, looking completely at ease as he looked me up and down.

It was times like these that I hated the rest of the Pack for interrupting us the night before.

"Ready to go?" he asked, finally looking me in the eyes.

* * *

I was at the movie theatre...

With Derek Hale...

Watching _The Hunger Games._

Yeah! I know! _The Hunger Games_! I couldn't believe it either! Turned out, Erica had gotten him to read the books – yeah, I really needed to do that when I had some time... But here we were, about to watch the first film.

Together.

On our date.

In public.

Never thought this would happen... Like, _ever_! So if my heart rate was a little high, well, then that was the sexy Sourwolf's fault!

"Stupid werewolf, with his stupid werewolf sexiness." I mumbled, quietly.

Well, at least I thought it was... _Until_ I heard the snort from beside me. Yeah, I don't think I could have gotten more embarrassed

Thank God the film started before Derek could start talking.

* * *

The film was good... Really good... I wanted the sequel now.

Derek had actually taken to slipping his arm around my waist, keeping a blush embedded on my face – he knew it, he couldn't lie. He was grinning, had been ever since he heard my little comment... It was a little weird seeing it spread across his face, but it was a good weird... He definitely needed to smile more.

I thought that the movie would be the end of it. You know, watch the movie, go home, see each other tomorrow at the Pack gathering thing.

Nope. We went into a diner instead.

The one we went to I had gone to so many times that the some of the staff actually knew me. I used to go there with my mom and dad or my mom, Melissa and Scott or just Scott. So they knew Scott as well as me.

But I'd never seen Derek here. I never Derek even _went out_ to eat. I mean, could you picture it? All broody and sour wolfish? Though I couldn't really say that know, could I? I mean, he was smiling and being all...loveable wolf. A smiley loveable wolf.

I could kill Kate Argent all over again from making Derek hide this side of himself. But I was surprised he was showing it this quickly. He must have caught on at some point, but he didn't let it show. But I knew him. I knew that he knew I was thinking it.

"I used to come here until I was ten." Derek told me as we sat at a table in the corner. "Once every week, the whole Pack. I loved it, everyone together."

And, yeah, I had to take a moment to regroup. I mean, Derek had actually opened up. Without being prompted. _What was going on_?!

"Are you ok?" I blurted out, not thinking. "I mean, you haven't been acting like the Sourwolf I know, and I'm a little worried that you may have lost your mind due to being exposed to me for too long. That or you aren't Derek and you're like a clone, or something. Or... Or maybe you're like a robot! Or you're being mind controlled. How cool would that be to be able to control people's minds and make them do anything you want, like do your chores or go shopping or..."

"Or shut up?" Derek interrupted.

Taking the hint, I bit my lip to stop from saying anything more. But come on, he should have realised that I wouldn't able to stop the talking. I mean, come on! I did have ADHD!

"I just..." Derek sighed. "God, look. This is something I thought about a lot, I will admit. I'm probably going to act like this. If you don't like it, say so, so then we can just forget it."

I stayed quiet, just looking at him. The smile had disappeared and he had gone back to being the Sourwolf from before, bordering on kicked puppy.

I always screwed things up!

Groaning, I hit my head on the table.

"Please smile again." I whispered. "I don't like that look."

"What look?" Derek asked, defensively.

Looking up, so I was resting my head on the table, I sighed.

"That look!" I told him, gesturing wildly at his face. "That stupid kicked puppy look, that makes me feel bad and makes me remember..."

"Makes you remember what?" Derek questioned, the look on his face morphing into a confused puppy.

I looked away, all the guilt crashing back, and I knew Derek could smell it – stupid awesome wolfy powers... But it wasn't like I could lie about this. He would know. And he would keep going on at me if I didn't answer him and he'd probably use his Alpha eyes...

"Makes me remember the look you got after I yelled at you, when I brought Isaac back from cheering him up." I whispered. "I felt like shit when I woke up the next day..."

Well... This was going well.

* * *

We sat there in an awkward silence for five, maybe ten, minutes. I started scratching my arm under the table, like I did at Derek's when we were locked in his room together.

_Man, I hate ADHD!_

It was when my skin started turning red that Derek placed his hand over the mark, stopping the scratching. My head now off of the table, I glanced to the side to see him staring at where his hand was.

"Shouldn't scratch it." he told me.

I couldn't help the small unbelieving huff that counted as a laugh. If only it were that easy. But by the look he gave me, Derek probably knew that.

"Everything you said that night..." he started. "You were right. You're always right."

I swear he must have been using his wolfy powers to make the itching stop! Like, seriously, how was he doing that? I just stayed quiet as he spoke, even after he finished. He only looked up when I didn't answer him after a while, and then I replied the only way I could think.

I chastely pressed my lips to his, pulling back quickly, my face heating up like a furnace. It was embarrassing how much I would blush... It was not a good thing, no matter how much more smiley it made Derek. Even if that was my goal in the first place, to get him to smile again.

It was then that things started to go back to how it was before I opened my big mouth.

* * *

Four and a half hours later – so at five in the evening – Derek had dropped me back off at my house. We already made plans for next Saturday, and we were already seeing each other on Sunday.

But Sunday I would probably be ambushed by Scott about what happened on Friday. And Lydia and Erica would do the same, unless Erica had got it out of Derek already. Which I highly doubted. Apparently I was the one that could get information out of Derek.

Well, come on, I had to have a super power besides pup sitting and my awesome research skills. Apparently it was Sourwolf whisperer.


	19. Christmas on December 27th

**Stiles**

For months, that was how it worked. Dates and Pack things and supernatural big bads. Then, whenever Derek and I tried to go further, we'd get cockblocked by the Pack. Being a seventeen year old guy and not being able to have sex with their incredibly sexy Alpha wolf boyfriend made it all very frustrating.

But then came Christmas.

We decided that, as a Pack, we would have our own Christmas on December 27th, just the ten of us. What was a little surprising was it was all Derek's idea.

We were all sitting around the living room, everyone dotted everywhere. I wasn't in my usual place on the floor those. No. When I had gone to sit on the floor, I was grabbed from behind around the middle, and dragged backwards until I was sitting on someone.

A Derek shaped someone...

I rolled my eyes before leaning back against the squishy wolf, smiling a little. Ever since October 27th – two whole months ago! – Derek had been...different. More so then when he started to comment on how well the Betas were doing.

He was _happier_.

It showed in the rest of the Pack, especially the wolves. It was like this weird wolfy connection thing, making the Betas know when their Alpha was happy, meaning that their wolves kind of were too. Well, that's how Scott described it.

So I knew that was how the five Betas felt, even as they rolled their eyes at me and Derek.

* * *

Once everyone had handed out the small amount of gifts we had kept back from Christmas to give to each other now, there was only one more that had to be opened. I reached into my backpack, which was sitting beside Derek's arm chair, pulling out an envelope.

And handed it to Derek.

Derek looked from me to the envelope, taking it slowly.

"It's from the nine of us." I told him.

"It was Stiles' idea though." Danny added.

"But we helped." Isaac grinned.

"Stiles insisted he did most of it." Boyd said.

"No one could convince him otherwise." Erica sighed.

Derek nodded, slowly opening the envelope. Of course I wrote a small note to explain everything, not that the rest of the Pack knew. So, Derek took the piece of paper out, unfolded it and started reading.

_**MERRY CHRISTMAS, SOURWOLF!** _

_Shut up, you love the name, big guy ;)_

_Anyway, so, in this magical envelope, you will find ten tickets to – drum roll please – NEW YORK CITY!_

_Yes, you read that right_ New York City _!_

_Anytime you bring it up, I can see how much you miss it. And, even though you can never go back there permanently, there is nothing stopping you from visiting. And, of course, we wouldn't let you go alone. You need us to annoy you ;)_

_So, on July 31_ _st_ _, the ten of us are headed to NYC, for the rest of the summer holidays._

_And don't pretend you hate it. I know you'll love it, the wolves will know you love it; we_ all _know you will love it. So, get that sour look off of that stupidly_ handsome _,_ gorgeous _,_ super-mega-foxy-awesome-hot _Alpha werewolf face of yours, before I squish it! And you know I will!_

_**Little Red ;)** _

I had thought about putting ' _love you_ ' at the end...but we hadn't even _said_ that to each other. And it was _way_ too soon to drop the 'L' bomb; we'd only been together for two _freaking_ months! There were way too many people out there that said ' _I love you_ ' _way_ too early and fucked everything up.

And I didn't want to fuck this up. I liked what Derek and I had. I didn't want to ruin it.

"What..." Derek started.

"Everything has already been paid; we've booked rooms at _The New Yorker Hotel_ ; Allison, Danny, Jackson, Lydia, Scott and me have already checked that it's ok." I interrupted. "Everything's ready for July thirty first."

Derek didn't say anything. He just stared at the envelope and the short note with wide eyes, just blinking at them. I looked towards the rest of the Pack, all the wolves shrugging.

Derek dropped his forehead to my shoulder, and for a moment I thought I had done something stupid and bad. But then I saw the wolves grinning and dragging the humans out of the living room after them.

I frowned as I watched them leave, especially after I heard the front door close. But I wasn't able to dwell on it much since, I was flipped around until I was straddling Mr Sourwolf, and pulled closer towards him.

I came face to face with a grinning Derek.

"You did that?" Derek asked, quietly, still grinning. "For me?"

Not knowing if his mood would take a turn for the worst, I just nodded, slowly, looking down.

And then he was kissing me.

There was _a lot_ of kissing...

* * *

So, Derek was happy. He loved the present we all got him – _knew it!_

I mean, he didn't even complain when we started putting in Christmas movies that we had been watching since the beginning of winter break!

No. He just kept smiling.

He tried to hide it, of course. But it was kind of hard not to notice it when he was pressing his face into my neck.

I would not admit how much I loved it...

It was halfway during _A Muppets Christmas Carol_ that I reached behind me, to place a hand on the back of Derek's head, scratching slightly – like you would do to a dog. I had learnt very quickly that he liked it.

But instead of doing that strange happy growling, he just pulled my back closer to him, burying his face into the back of my neck a little more, _nuzzling_ slightly.

Yeah, I know! I was still wondering if this was actually Derek, sometimes.


	20. Trip

**Stiles**

January 7th 2013, a Monday, the first day of school after winter vacation. Now I had to wait until June for our next break, and then until July for our Pack vacation! It was fine, I could wait...

I think...

I had just pulled into the parking lot, when I spotted a familiar black Camaro. I grinned to myself as I switched of the ignition, grabbing my backpack from my passenger seat.

I honestly thought that I would get out of my Jeep, walk over to the car and lean in to say 'hi' – and hopefully have a quick make out before having to get to class.

Well, I was wrong.

I was just walking past the front of my Jeep when I was grabbed around my waist and dragged backwards, being turned along the way. Of course, me being me, I stumbled the whole time, pretty much falling into the muscular body that was now in front of me.

"Well, that was rude." I grinned, lifting my head to look into those glorious forest green eyes.

Derek just shrugged, pulling me closer, trying to suppress a grin.

"You do know I need to get to class." I told him. "I'd rather not get detention from Harris again."

Derek just ignored my protests.

Instead he leaned forward, in front of a bunch of people that could get back to my dad, pressing his lips to mine.

It was hard to remember why I was fighting him on this when this ended up happening, but when I heard Scott yell over that class started in five minutes; it all came crashing back to me.

Talk about bad timing – on both parts.

* * *

In one of my classes – I forget which one – we were told about a little... _trip_ we would all be taking. Apparently, letters were sent to our parents – so they knew they got home – requesting permission to take the whole class to Texas for a week, to 'further our knowledge'.

Huh... _This_ may have been what dad was trying to talk to me about the other day... Whoops.

What I was more focused on though, was that I was going to be away from the Pack for a week.

A Pack that was still getting used to the changes made.

A Pack that needed _everyone_ to be around, since it was still a work in progress.

I couldn't really see this going very well.

But I had no choice. I was going, end of.

Now, the question was: how was I going to tell the Pack?

* * *

" _What?! No, you can't leave!"_

" _Can't you get out of it?!"_

" _What if something goes wrong?!"_

" _Can't you talk to your dad?!"_

" _Don't go!"_

" _What if we need you?!"_

" _You can't go!"_

" _Try get out of it!"_

" _You're not going!"_

With the way the Pack was talking about it, it sounded like I was leaving for a year or a couple of months, not a week. That was exactly what I told the nine of them, but they were having none of it. Derek even punched a wall, setting the five other wolves on edge.

I sighed, telling them that they could go and talk with my dad if they wanted.

Derek was the first one out of that door and headed towards my house.

Well, that wasn't how I wanted that to go.

* * *

I was actually the last one to my own home, the rest of the Pack already having pilled in there.

For the first time in my life, I was hoping that the police cruiser wasn't parked on the drive... But when was I ever that lucky?

So, groaning, I dragged myself out of my Jeep and into the house, slamming the door behind me, hopefully hurting some wolfy ears! I could hear voices coming from the living room, mainly Derek and my dad's, but sometimes someone else from the Pack would interject.

It was as if they hadn't heard the door.

Walking closer towards the living room door, I was finally able to hear what they were talking about.

" _Wait. You're telling me that you and Stiles are_ dating _."_ dad said.

" _Yes, sir."_ Derek replied, calmly.

" _And you're also telling me that you are 'Mates'. But Stiles doesn't know that yet."_

" _Correct."_

I pretty much stopped listening then.

I had read up about wolf Mates, not that there was anything that could be useful or werewolves. Right? I mean, was it really for life?

Blinking, I pretty much flew up the stairs, which finally drew the attention of everyone, if people shouting my names was any indication.

I slammed the door, locked it and placed mountain ash along the edge just before anyone reached it.

Well, this was a...interesting turn of events...


	21. Pictures and Apologies

**Stiles**

" _Stiles, open the door."_ dad called through my bedroom door.

"NO!" I yelled back.

I knew I was acting like a kid again, locking myself in my room... But it was the only thing I could think of to get me out of that situation before I was dragged or put myself into it. I mean, what a way to find out that you're actually an _Alpha werewolf's Mate_ , not boyfriend! I was going into unknown territory right now, and I was scared!

Yeah, you read that right. I, Genim Alexander Stilinski – aka Stiles – was fucking scared, man! So I think I had the right to hide in my room like I was a little kid again.

I sat with my back against the door, knees pulled up tight to my chest and my arms wrapped around them, forehead resting on them. Sure, there was a pain in my back from the angle, but I couldn't care any less at this moment in time. I lifted my right hand up high enough to run it through my hair, pulling slightly.

" _Come on, Stiles."_ Scott whined. _"Just open it."_

"No." I sighed. "Just... Just leave me alone."

I heard soft groans come from the other side of the door, before footsteps started to fade. Ok, now I could think about this _without_ any disruptions.

Yeah, I would be lucky if _that_ happened.

* * *

After a while, I moved from the floor to my bed, lying down, facing the ceiling. I was amazed really by how long I was able to just lie there like that, considering how much I would usually more around – ADHD is annoying like that...

My thoughts were even more jumbled than they usually were, now that I had something new to think about. I mean, if you had just found out that you were your boyfriend's ' _Mate_ ' wouldn't you be a bit confused in the head? My head actually _hurt_ from trying to concentrate on all of this, trying to take it in and work it all out.

It was not a nice feeling...

Maybe it _would_ be best if I went to Texas for that week... You know, give me a bit of time to think about this, without being distracted by my phone buzzing every five seconds because the Pack kept calling/texting. In the end I actually picked up my cell and _threw_ it across my room. I _never_ did that!

Besides it wasn't like I could just not go to Texas now. Everything was already in place, dad had already paid. I would have had to go anyway. I mean, sure, it would be hell being away from the people I cared about for one hundred and sixty eight hours, but at least I would be able to sort through all of this.

And it wasn't like I was going to be gone for months.

* * *

It had just gone seven that evening and I was still in the same position as before. Just staring up at the ceiling.

It was when I heard my window open that I realised that I probably should have locked it...

Sighing, I sat up and crossed my legs, pushing myself back against my headboard and pillows, staring at the window, waiting for whichever wolf – _pfft, I knew who it was_ – to come in. And, just as that thought crossed my mind, Derek had slid into my room, closing the window behind him.

"When were you going to tell me?" I asked, surprisingly calm.

Derek sighed, shoulders slumping, as he walked closer, sitting on the edge of my bed.

"Not yet." was all he said, before glaring at the floor.

And now we were back to this.

I will admit that I had no idea what possessed me to do it, but the next thing I knew I had picked up the book closest to me – a hardback copy of _Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows_ – whacking Sourwolf as hard as I could on his arm.

Repeatedly.

Of course, after the forth hit, he grabbed the book from me with a growl before shoving me against the wall.

"Really?" I scoffed, sarcastically. "We're back to this? Yeah, great."

Growling again, Derek pushed back, running the fingers of both hands through his hair. While he did that, I walked over to where he threw the book – I would berate him later for throwing _Harry Potter_ – picking it up and placing it, carefully, back on my bedside table, shaking my head slightly.

"You know, I thought we all got you past all of that. You know, the wall shoving, the growling and the barely there answers." I sighed, talking mainly to myself. "Old habits die hard, I guess..."

Derek didn't reply to that. Should have guessed that.

So I just walked back to my bed, dragging my laptop up from the side of my bed. The first thing I saw when my laptop had loaded up was my screensaver. Which was a picture of dad, mom and me.

The picture had been taken on mom and dad's anniversary. They never liked to leave me alone with anyone on that day, always wanting to take me with them. They always went back to where they had their honeymoon – Paphos, Cyprus – and the last year we went was the year mom died. You wouldn't be able to tell from the picture that mom was ill at the time, she looked too happy for you to notice anything else. This one had been taken when the sun was setting, on the beach. I _had_ been taking pictures, when mom had dragged me over to her and dad and asked one of the other people on holiday to take our picture.

It was one of my favourites, because it was the last picture we had taken together as a family.

I smiled sadly as I just looked at it. I did that for a few seconds longer before my throat started to burn and my eyes started to sting. Blinking a few times and shaking my head slightly, I moved my curser over the little folder at the bottom of my screen, going straight to my pictures.

I usually did that, just looking at my pictures whenever I felt frustrated or upset or angry or...or anything, really. I always went to this one specific folder though, like all the time just this one specific one, sometimes looking through my other folders. And that folder was always the one entitled ' _Mom_ '.

It had all the pictures that had my mom in from when she was a kid up until my tenth birthday. I had actually found all the pictures of my mom in the photo albums in the living room a few years ago with pictures of her as a kid until August 26th 2005. As soon as I found them I immediately scanned them into my laptop, just so I had copies of them on there.

Was that sad?

"You look like her." Derek said, softly, which was the only indication I had to the fact that he was no sitting beside me on my bed.

"Yeah, people said that a lot." I whispered, smiling slightly, even though my voice cracked a little. "It was a hard thing to hear for the first few years after she..."

For some reason, I just couldn't say the word. But I knew that Derek got it. He had firsthand knowledge on this stuff... Though he had lost more than me, he still knew...and I did too. He just nodded, sliding his arm around my shoulders.

"I was going to tell you." Derek admitted, quietly, after a few beats of silence. "I just... This all still really new, _I_ don't even know what it all means, and you're not even eighteen yet... I thought it would be easier to just...wait to tell you."

"You told my dad." I reminded him.

"It slipped out. If you go to Texas...God knows what could happen while you're gone!"

Sighing, I shut the lid on my laptop, placing it down the side of my bed again, before turning more to my right – in towards Derek. I rested the side of my head on his shoulder, staring down at the grey t-shirt he was wearing.

"Probably nothing." I mumbled. "I'm the one that gets us all into trouble."

Derek just laughed softly, curling his arm tighter around me.

"I'm sorry." he muttered – _no, I did not gape because he apologised...much._

"It's fine... Just, next time, don't keep secrets." I yawned.

"How are you already tired?"

"Thinking about one thing for so long is tiring! Especially for someone like me!"

I felt Derek shake his head, tightening his hold on me a little more. He murmured ' _sleep_ ' and ' _goodnight, Stiles_ ' into my ear, just as I closed my eyes, dragging my duvet over me – not that I really needed it with him there...

"And I promise, next time, I won't keep secrets." was the last thing I heard before I fell asleep.


	22. Good Morning, Class

**Stiles**

Tuesday morning, I woke up with something warm and cuddly next to me. Which was strange, because I never slept with anything warm and cuddly in my bed... Hell! I didn't even _own_ anything that was even remotely warm and cuddly!

But then it _moved_.

The warm and cuddly thing _moved_ and it made _noises_ and it was _all around me_. _And_ it had...stubble?

Why would it have stubble? And why was it _spooning_ me?

So, slowly, I turned around. I mean, come on, I did have some sense – even without taking my Adderall yet – I didn't want to be murdered or something!

But, turning around, I found that I didn't have to worry about that. To be honest, I should have seen it coming. I mean, thinking about it and remembering what happened last night, you would have thought I would make the connection that warm-and-cuddly was a still sleeping Derek.

I couldn't help but snort quietly at my stupid, panicking brain... But hey, at least I was a little more aware of what's out there, now I was 'running with the wolves'.

I reached over to my bedside table, grabbing the bottle of water and my Adderall, which I sometimes had left there. I took my medication before I did anything else...less chance on me saying something I'd regret later. Of course, as soon as the bottle was taken away and put down, I was dragged forwards, further into the sleeping wolf.

Surprisingly, Derek was still asleep. Like, _properly_ asleep! He looked peaceful, younger. Less worried and stressed. Relaxed. It was a shame he didn't look like that more often. I shuffled closer towards his body heat, just wanting to be closer. And I couldn't help but gently press my lips to his, just because.

Derek stirred a little as I pulled back, his head subconsciously moving forwards. I bit my lip to stop from laughing and waking him up. But that didn't work. His eyes – _oh, those eyes_ – opened sleepily, making him look like a tired puppy. It didn't help that that was what he looked like when he yawned or that his hair was all ruffled. It was – and I have no issue saying this – adorable. I wished I could take a picture of the cuteness. So sue me if I couldn't help but lean forward and gently kiss his nose... Besides, the reaction was worth it... His nose twitched and his eyebrows furrowed, confused, while he was still waking up.

As soon as he remembered though, Derek smiled tiredly, pulling me in closer and holding me to him tighter. My face pressed against his chest a little, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Morning, Der." I whispered.

"Mornin'." Derek yawned, shuffling closer – if that was even possible right now.

"You need to let go."

"No."

Of course he would say that... So, sighing, I tried to squirm my way out of his hold.

That resulted in me being flipped until I was on my back, a sleepy looking Alpha hovering _just_ above me, his hands either side of my head.

And, ok, yeah, should have seen that coming.

"I have to get ready for school." I reasoned.

"No." Derek said, simply.

"If I don't go to school I get detention for a month from Harris, _and_ I'll be grounded."

"No."

"If you let me up and let me go to school, I'll persuade my dad to let me stay at yours on the weekend..."

If I knew that would work, that would have been the first thing I said.

* * *

For once, I had actually gotten to the school early.

As soon as I was ready, Derek had dropped me off...meaning he would be picking me up again because, hello, Jeep was at home. But that didn't matter. It meant I got to see him more before I had to go to Dallas come Monday morning.

Yeah, I know, early, huh?

The Pack really weren't looking forward to that... And neither was I. None of us wanted a week without one of us – or in my case, nine... The only thing we could do was say that I'd call them, so they would know I was alright and I would know they were alright...

But it still sucked.

To be honest, I don't know why I was taking fiction/creative writing as an elective. Well, no, that was a lie. I loved writing and making up stories, that's why – though most of mine revolved around what happened to the Pack and me, but I changed the names. If I ever became an author though, well, I could just keep them all the same – with permission of course.

Not that the Pack _knew_ I took this course. Even when they talked to dad about not sending me to Dallas for a week it never came up. Dad probably knew that – he's the Sheriff; he needs to be good at knowing stuff people don't tell him – which was why they _still_ didn't know... I was actually quite glad.

It wasn't that I didn't _want_ them to know, it was just...I wasn't looking forward to the reactions, so I was putting it off best I could. And I had been doing ever well, so far.

Well, I was until my book for the class fell out of my bag and Jackson had been around to pick it up and see it...

Before I could say anything to him, he sped off with my book. Just what I needed to do, right before class. Chase a fucking werewolf.

* * *

When I finally caught up with him, Jackson was standing outside, in the parking lot, huddled around my book with the rest of the Pack – well, accept Derek.

None of them looked up as I came nearer, only when I snatched the book out of their hands, stuffed it into my backpack and sprinted back into the school so I could reach my class in time.

Which I did.

With seconds to spare.

Of course, Mr Duff – or Gregory, as he got us to call him sometimes – would never give me detention. I was a good student. Did my work. Handed homework in on time. Top of the class. And, apparently, my stories were awesome.

Mr Duff was the first person to read anything story related that I wrote after my mom died.

When dad came to speak with him during the first parent-teacher conference at high school, after I chose this elective, dad even read some of my stuff... Now, every time dad speaks to Mr Duff, he gets to read one of my latest creations.

Of course, dad knows that what I write is actually real. And he knows who my characters really are – in my stories you have: Victoria Armstrong, who is actually Allison; Elijah McQueen, who was actually Scott; Riley Boyle, who was actually Boyd; Tegan Rhodes, who was actually Erica; Leolani Mahelona, who was actually Danny; Hayden Lafay, who was actually Isaac; Dean Wesson, who was actually Jackson; Rose Mackenzie, who was actually Lydia; Oliver Haley, who was actually Derek; Genim Alexander, who was actually me.

I used the middle names of everyone in the Pack as their new first names, keeping the first few letters of their last names the same.

Apart from mine.

With my new name in the story, I used my _real_ first name, while using my middle name as my last...

In the book that Jackson had ran off with, the first page – that Mr Duff never saw – was a list of everyone in the Pack with the names I used for them in the story written beside them. It was so I could remember who was who, though I didn't need that list to know... I could always tell by the descriptions I used for them. But it was always good to have a back up, just in case.

That list was on the first half of the first page.

The other half was the beginning of the first story I wrote in that book – it was a first person narrative, switching between only ' _Elijah_ ' and ' _Genim_ ' in that one. That story explained how ' _Elijah_ ' became a werewolf, thanks to his best friend ' _Genim_ '.

That was the page they were on when I took the book back.

Even if they didn't read the list, they would be able to tell who ' _Elijah_ ' and ' _Genim_ ' were, straight away.

* * *

My phone was vibrating in my pocket like crazy that lesson.

But I didn't answer it.

Creative/fiction writing was one of the only classes I liked and could concentrate on.

Mr Duff had explained why we were going to Dallas next week, right at the beginning, because so many of us were confused. He told us how it was so we could research more about one of the authors we had been looking at for a short while – I forget who – and see what inspired him/her to write a fictional story based in Texas.

It would also help with our 'creative skills', because at the end of our trip our assignment was to write a short fictional story that was based in Texas, which was due two weeks after we got back.

I was already working on a title: _Werewolves in Dallas._

Not my most creative, but I had some time to think. But, knowing me, I would probably end up using that one.

After the explanation though, Mr Duff handed out the work he had graded for us over the holidays. There were two separate assignments that he had graded for the seven of the fourteen of us, everyone else only having one, and it wasn't like mine was very short... Usually, if he didn't set a word limit, I could go on for a long while. My longest to date had been twenty eight thousand two hundred and eight.

That particular story just so happened to be the one that Mr Duff would have marked over Christmas and was actually about everything that had happened with the Pack from the moment I helped Erica, all the way up to Derek dropping me back home after our first date.

Or, if we're talking about the story, from the moment ' _Genim_ ' helped ' _Tegan_ ', all the way up to ' _Oliver_ ' dropping ' _Genim_ ' back home after _their_ first date.

That story was due in Friday 21st December, which was our last day before the holidays. Luckily, that was the only one that Mr Duff had to grade for me, and most of the stories some of my class mates wrote were only, around, five hundred to eight hundred words long...

But it wasn't my fault, honest!

I was a little worried about getting it back though, seeing the grade I got for it... I mean, come on, some of the stuff I wrote in there...well, uh... Well, you guys know some of the stuff I wrote in there! You never knew how someone – let alone your _teacher_ – was going to react to it!

Especially to the two gay couples!

You never knew who was a homophobe and who wasn't!

It was as I sat there, waiting for my many pages to be set in front of me, that I was starting to regret ever writing and handing in that story.

Though I regretted it even more when Mr Duff asked to see me after class, _instead of_ handing me the story back...

* * *

When the bell rang for the end of class, I slowly packed up my things, waiting for everyone else to leave before I made my way to Mr Duff's desk.

Of course, today just _had_ to be the day that no one dawdled.

So, sighing, I lifted my backpack onto my shoulder, and going to stand in front of my teacher's desk. I waited for him to start lecturing me about how what I wrote was inappropriate, or start yelling about my use of gay couples, but it never came... Instead, he said something that I didn't think he would say...

"Stiles, this is some of your best work, by far." Mr Duff told me. "You allowed the reader to bond more with your secondary characters, getting to know more about them, as well as letting them learn more about your primary character."

I kind of zoned out as Mr Duff started going on about my characters and the story line, the only thing I heard after the start of his speech being about my two just male couples. Surprisingly, he admired the fact that I decided to lead my main character down that road, since writers only ever add in gay people as secondary characters, if at all...

He actually didn't mind...

I could help but smile.

But then came two questions that I was hoping I would never be asked...

"So, how did you come up with these characters?" Mr Duff asked. "And why is it you use them for each of your assignments?

Oh fuck.

"Well, sir, I based them off of my friends. Names came easily once I had the personalities and appearances; I'm fairly good with finding names." I replied, trying not to rush my words in a fit of nervousness. "I just stick with them because they're my favourite characters, ever, that I've come up with."

Mr Duff nodded, smiling slightly as he handed me to wad of paper that was my story.

"A plus." he told me. "I shall see you in class tomorrow, Stiles."

"Yes, sir." I grinned.

Now I just had to survive my other lessons.

Other lessons I had with my Pack.

My Pack who found my notes for my creative/fiction writing class.

 _Fuck_.


	23. Not Yet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> P.S. The beginning of the story Stiles wrote, is part of an original that I started writing ^_^

**Stiles**

Tuesday afternoon, after school, I pretty much dived into Derek's Camaro when I saw it. I didn't want to be stopped by the rest of the Pack... I mean, they had tried to corner me all day, but I really didn't want to deal with all of that.

I could tell Derek was confused, but he said nothing as he started to drive. And not a moment too soon because, as soon as Derek started driving, the rest of the Pack started to make their ways out of the school building.

At least with Derek I was safe from talk about my secret class.

"Never thought you'd be the type to take a creative/fiction writing class." Derek commented as he drove towards his place.

_Or maybe not._

"Which one told you?" I groaned. "Wait, no, don't tell me! It was Lydia, wasn't it?"

Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Derek nodding... There was no expression on his face, just complete blankness. I couldn't tell if he was mad or what! Which, hello, was stupid, because why should he be mad?

Sure, I kept the class quiet, but I chose it before I met him.

Sure, I've been using all of the Packs 'adventures' and 'cases' in my stories, but it wasn't like I used a _ctual_ names!

Sure, I used my friends and boyfriend as my characters without asking, but that should be ok...

Right?

"Stiles..." Derek started.

"Can we not talk about it?" I asked, quietly, staring down at my hands in my lap. "At least...not yet?"

Derek said nothing.

Instead, he just removed his right hand from the steering wheel to cover my left, just leaving it there on top.

I didn't move my hand back. I didn't _want_ to. Even though, for some reason, the action just made me feel worse about this whole situation.

_I should have just said something and dealt with the reactions right from the start._

* * *

The drive had been quiet. Almost eerily so.

Nothing was said for the rest of the way to Derek's place and nothing was said as we pulled up in front of it. Nor was anything said as we got out of the Camaro and went inside.

Derek had gone straight to the kitchen, while I went into the living room, sitting on the floor with my back resting against Derek's arm chair and my right side pressed against the wall. My backpack, as always sat to my left...but this time, instead of just leaving it as it was, I opened the bag to take out the notebook I used to write down all my ideas for my creative/fiction class. I took _another_ notebook as well...the one that I had written/started writing the majority of my stories in.

I opened the notebook with my notes in to the page where I had left off, writing down the events of the day. Amazingly, I could _always_ remember what people had said in a certain situation, but I could never remember in which order the events happen. I had been writing down each thing that happened all day, and now I was adding the awkward car ride to the list.

 _I'm going to have to tell them_ everything _._

_Jackson's going to laugh and make fun._

_I'm going to have to tell them my_ real _name, since they'll ask how I came up with it for my character._

_Someone – most of them – are going to laugh._

I _really_ wasn't looking forward to this...

Picking up the second notebook, flipping to the next clean page. I stared down at the page, a pencil in my right hand, waiting for some sort of inspiration. And then an idea had been running around in my head for a while now made itself known. An idea that was in no way related to anything that went on in my life.

So I started writing:

_For eight years I have lived in Fayley, a small village far away from the boarder of the Kingdom of Dralelle. In fact, it was far from any boarder of any Kingdom. You could find the village right in the middle of a wooded area, on an island, that connected the Kingdoms. There were four narrow, but long, pathways branching off across the sea from the North, South, East and West of the island._

_Fayley, though in the middle of the woods, was still equipped with all the technology you would find in any of the four Kingdoms. Of course, one person would always travel over one of those long and narrow pathways to one of the Kingdoms to collect it._

_The village was a wonderful place, nothing like I had ever seen before arriving when I was nine years old. The market place was always so brightly coloured, every stall enticing you with the different shades. There were colours that I had never seen before, shades of blues and purples that I had never thought were possible. The streets were made of smooth, white stone; stone so smooth that you didn't have to worry about steeping wrong, or falling, and cutting your feet. As a child I used to marvel at the difference of the stone used in the village and the cobblestone used in the place I once used to live. The buildings were different to the ones back in my old home. Some were made of bricks, others made of stone, some of logs, others of concrete. At one point there was one made of glass... You could probably guess why that had been changed._

_Every person in that village, all one hundred and thirty one of them – not including me –, knew each other. We all knew one another, we all helped each other. Everyone smiled, everyone was friendly. When I first arrived, every citizen was so nice to me. They made me feel a part of something. They made me feel accepted for who I was, not because of my name or place in society. Not that I told anyone my real name...or what I was._

_I loved it here in Fayley. I loved the life I had now._

I stopped there, not knowing what to put next.

That would usually happen. I would get this spark of inspiration, write for a while and then, just like that, I wouldn't know what to put next.

But it still made me smile a little. Knowing that I had been able to start one of my ideas...it was a good feeling.

* * *

While I was thinking, I picked up my, what I was calling, notebook-of-noteness-for-creative/fiction-writing-class, and started writing out character profiles for my two main characters.

Well, by profiles I mean name, age, birthday, what they were – they were elves –, appearance, personality, etc. I always added to the profiles as I went on writing, if I thought of something that may fit the character, but I always started with the basics.

Of course, I was too preoccupied to realise that the Pack had actually walked into the room... That was, until someone cleared their throat.

I pretty much yelped and jumped when I heard the noise, slamming both books closed and holding them close to my chest. My heart was beating manically and my eyes wide...which didn't change when I found them all standing back the living room door.

I didn't make eye contact with any of them. As soon as I saw them there, I turned my gaze back to the carpet in front of me, twisting the pencil between my fingers as I kept a tight grip on my two notebooks.

I was not going to enjoy this.


	24. Couldn't Catch A Break!

**Stiles**

Everyone had walked in calmly, sitting down in their usual seats, not saying a word.

I was, to be honest, terrified...

I could feel them all watching me as I stared at the carpet, twisting the pencil between my fingers and keeping a tight grip of the two notebooks. I had no idea what to say or if I should even start the conversation... So I just stayed quiet, hoping someone would start speaking.

"Creative/fiction?" Allison asked, slowly, almost hesitantly.

As soon as the words had come out of her mouth, Jackson was – as I predicted – cackling away... I knew him to well, so it was easy to predict his reaction. I just sighed, pushing myself back into the side of Derek's armchair and the wall, making myself a little smaller as I felt the heat rise in my face.

This was why I didn't want the tell them.

The laughing.

The mocking.

It was always happening and it was always happening to me.

The embarrassment.

The hurt...

All the time I was on the receiving end one way or another... Sure, there were a fair few number of days where I didn't get or feel any of that, and it would have been a long shot for me to hope that today would be one of them.

I could feel a stinging in my eyes – _tears of embarrassment, my old friend_. It was a horrible feeling and it was stupid that it was even happening.

I mean, sure, these people were my friends – my _Pack_ , my _family_ – but that didn't mean they would instantly stop poking fun... If anything, sometimes, depending on the day, they would be worse, since they knew me better.

And, I know, it completely contrasted the people I had been seeing these past few months, but it still happened...

However, a low menacing growl cut through Jackson's chuckles, making them catch in his throat, as a hand came over the arm of the chair Derek was in and lightly brushed against my neck.

Sighing again, I started to speak after a few moments of silence.

"Ever since I was...four, maybe five...I always wrote these stupid little stories." I explained, quietly. "Some didn't make sense back then, but as I went on and read more and grew up, well, they started getting more in depth. I would add chapters and backgrounds on the characters; write profiles and make up all these different scenarios for them... When I found out I could take it as a class...I just couldn't pass it up."

I leant backwards, resting my head back against the side of the arm chair, placing the pencil I was twirling on the floor, and placed the notebooks next to the writing utensil.

This was the first time I had ever had to explain to anyone I was taking this class before and it was... _hard_. Usually, I knew what to say; usually, I couldn't stop talking.

Right now? It was hard to find the words.

"After the Pack started coming together...well, I started to think that the things we went through might be good little stories." I continued. "So, one night when I couldn't sleep, I planned out the characters for all of us, and changing our names..."

I sent a barely there smile towards my notebooks, placing a hand over the top one, shaking my head a little.

"All I had to do then was write about what we did and, _tada_ , story." I finished. "I _wanted_ to tell you guys, don't get me wrong... I just wasn't looking forward to how you would all react, so I was putting it off. It's how I knew Jackson was going to laugh, and it's how I know that most of you are going to laugh if you ask how I came up with one of the names."

I kept my head down the whole time, still not looking anyone in the eyes... It was bad enough that my skin itched from where they were all staring at me; I didn't want to see the looks in their eyes too.

"How _did_ you come up with the names?" Isaac asked.

"What _are_ the names?" Derek muttered.

Sighing, I ran a hand through my hair, lifting my head up so I could stare at the wall in front of me instead of the carpet.

"For the nine of you, I changed your last names, keeping the first or first few letters the same. For first names I used your middle names." I explained. "Allison became _Victoria Armstrong_ ; Scott became _Elijah McQueen_ ; Boyd became _Riley Boyle_ ; Erica became _Tegan Rhodes_ ; Danny became _Leolani Mahelona_ ; Isaac became _Hayden Lafay_ ; Jackson became _Dean Wesson_ ; Lydia became _Rose Mackenzie_ ; Derek became _Oliver Haley_."

"What did you change yours to?" Boyd questioned. "What did you use?"

I sighed, knowing I couldn't put this off for much longer, no matter how hard I tried.

They were going to laugh. Most of them, anyway. And I was going to feel like shit.

But I had to tell them.

"I changed mine to Genim Alexander." I answered, carefully.

"How the _fuck_ did you come up with _Genim_?" Jackson snorted.

I felt the sting in my eyes again, trying to prepare myself for what was coming next.

"Since no one knows it, apart from me and my dad, I used my _real_ first name." I replied, everyone going eerily quiet. "I used Alexander, my middle name; to act as my character's last."

"Your real name is... _Genim_." Erica repeated.

Nodding slowly, I dragged my knees up to my chest, wrapping my arms around them and buried my head into them.

And I waited.

Waited for them to start laughing already.

But it never came.

"What kind of a name is _Genim_?" was the reply I got.

"The kind of name my mom gave to me." I snapped, swinging my head around to look at the Betas. "Now, please, if you're going to laugh, just do it now. I can't take the waiting."

I could feel the tightening in my throat as the stinging in my eyes increased.

But I wasn't going to cry. No. I wasn't going to cry.

I was just going to defend my name, maybe glare a little bit, and then go _home_ and cry.

Yeah, that sounded like a good idea.

"I like it." Derek mused, his right hand gripping the back of my neck gently, running his thumb up and down the side of it.

_That wasn't supposed to happen._

"I think I misheard..." I said, slowly, turning until I could face the Sourwolf in question. "It sounded like you said you...like my name."

"I do." he shrugged. "It's different, like you."

"Adds to the personality." Erica grinned, winking.

_Well, what do you know...? I was wrong... THANK GOD FOR THAT!_

* * *

Later on, when it was getting late, everyone left for home – or upstairs in Boyd, Erica and Isaac's cases.

Derek, of course, was the one to drive me home.

He hadn't said anything more about my name ever since Erica said it added to my personality. I was grateful for the change in topic after that but, for some reason, I _wanted_ Derek to bring it up, now that it was just the two of us.

But he didn't. And neither did I.

Instead, we drove in silence, Derek's hand resting on top of mine.

The contact was the only thing stopping me from getting agitated. The only thing that was stopping my ADHD from playing up like it usually did. The only thing keeping me quiet and still.

Derek seemed to have picked up on that, right from the first time he had done it.

Before I knew it we were parked in front of my house, both of us staring straight ahead, making no move to get out of the car.

Derek kept his hand over mine, saying nothing, letting his thumb rub back and forth over the back of my hand.

"Can you just say something?" I whispered, breaking the silence.

"Did you really think we were going to laugh?" Derek asked, quietly. "About the class and your name?"

"Yes... But Jackson actually _did_ laugh, just like I knew he would... It was just the part about my name I was wrong about..."

Derek sighed, shaking his head slightly as he turned towards me in his seat.

"Jackson's an ass, of course he would. But he was surprised, so he laughed." he said. "We wouldn't poke fun at something like your name."

"But you would for my class?" I demanded.

"Did you hear anyone doing that? We were _surprised_ , Stiles. And kind of hurt that you didn't trust us."

There was silence for a short time, neither of us saying anything as I stared of to the side to avoid looking at him.

But I knew I had to say something.

I had to say something and _try_ to stop this guilt take over again... Though that was hard to do when Derek had that sad puppy face.

"I told Scott about the class, when I chose it..." I whispered. "He remembered all for a day, but he forgets things easily, especially back then. I chose it before I met you, or even started talking or being friends with the others... None of you really liked me and you tolerated Scott, so I kept it to myself. When the whole Pack thing actually started going _well_...I just didn't know how to bring it up..."

"Could have brought it up on Scott's birthday." Derek muttered. "You gave him a notebook containing a story you wrote."

"It was his _birthday_! Besides...I forgot..."

Derek huffed out a small laugh, shaking his head almost fondly, pulling me over the gear shift slightly so he could press his lips to my temple for a moment, before letting go and getting out of the car.

Silently, I followed, grabbing my backpack before I closed the door.

As I started walking over to the front door, I felt Derek's arm slip around my waist and drag me into his side.

"We're not mad." he whispered. "Just surprised. And Genim really does suit you, I like it."

And, somehow, I knew he wasn't lying.

* * *

I don't know how, but I managed to get Derek to stay, instead of leaving me at home to wait for my dad.

Ok, well that's a lie. I _totally_ know how I did it, I had this talent! I mean No one could resist the puppy eyes! Especially when it was added to the power I had of being able to cry on demand.

Yeah, I was evil! _Mwhaha_! But hey, it worked, since as soon as Derek saw them, he took my hand and dragged me until I was standing in front of him.

First thing he did was get rid of the tears that were currently rolling down my face, before he put his arms around my waist, pulling me towards him until there was literally no space between us, my arms trapped between us as he whispered a ' _fine I'll stay_ ' into my ear.

But that wasn't to say it was my fault that my dad found us making out on the couch! Derek should have heard his car pull up!

That was why the three of us were now sitting in the kitchen, eating dinner... My leg kept bouncing up and down, not being able to keep it still as I waited for someone to _say something_!

I certainly _wasn't_ starting this conversation!

I mean, sure, dad knew Derek and I were dating. Knew Derek and I were Mates...

And I knew that this talk was inevitable...

I just never realised that the talk was going to be today! Or that it was going to happen all because dad caught us making out!

I just couldn't catch a break today!


	25. This Weekend?

**Stiles**

I couldn't for the life of me bring myself to look at my dad or Derek... I mean, just because they _knew_ I was as red as a cherry, didn't mean they had to _see_ it! Knowing Derek, he'd just smirk...

Neither of them had said anything, and keeping quite myself was making me agitated...

I kept moving every five seconds, and the fiery itch in my arm was back... The itch was _not_ a nice thing to have!

It didn't help that dad had Derek and I sitting across from each other, instead of side by side, making me have to put up with my irritated skin... So, instead of eating, I sat there with my arms on the table, the nails on my right hand abusing the flesh on my left forearm.

It was probably because I was so focused on the annoying itch, that I didn't realise that dad had started talking.

It was probably the reason why I heard none of the replies Derek gave.

It was probably the reason why I _didn't_ hear anyone talking to me.

All I could think about was the pin pricks of pain running over the skin on my arm, only getting worse as I tried to scratch the itch away... Yet I couldn't stop scratching.

And then a hand was placed over my right, stopping the scratching straight away.

Slightly startled at the sudden contact, I flinched a little, head shooting up, only relaxing again when I saw it was Derek. My wolf – because that's what Derek was; _my_ wolf – used leeched the sting away, from both the itch as well as the pain I inflicted on myself from trying to get rid of it.

I hadn't realised that dad had left the table, until he walked back into the room with a roll of bandages.

While Derek kept his hand over mine, dad worked on wrapping the bandage around my left arm – after cleaning off the blood first...

"Sorry." I mumbled, looking down at the table.

"Stiles, son, this isn't the first time you've done this." dad chuckled slightly, ruffling my hair a little. "This certainly wasn't the worst one you've had."

I smiled slightly, watching as dad secured the bandage before leaving to go put them back in the bathroom.

As soon as he was out of sight, Derek moved from the side of the table he had been confined to, to the side I was on, pulling out and sitting in the chair next to mine.

"Shouldn't scratch it." Derek told me, putting an arm around my shoulders and pulling my closer.

"You said that on our first date..." I whispered, smiling slightly, leaning into his side and resting the side of my head on his right shoulder. "And then you admitted I was right, as always."

"I did."

Sighing a little, I moved closer and turned my head until my face was hidden against the side of Derek's neck, and I could get my right arm around his torso. As I did this, Derek turned his head until it was turned down into the top of my head, and moved his left arm until his hand was gently brushing against the bandage on my left forearm.

"There has been _way_ too much drama today." I decided, frowning. "I don't like it."

"Then it's a good thing you didn't hear anything your dad asked me." Derek chuckled. "You probably would have cause more drama. And, no, I'm not telling you what he said and, no, it was nothing bad... You would have just made a big deal out of it."

"I don't even _want_ to know."

And he knew I wasn't lying.

I really _didn't_ want to know... It would only make me even more agitated!

* * *

For the rest of dinner, Derek stayed next to me.

Dad didn't tell him to move, so I took that as a good sign...

I actually ate this time and paid attention to the conversation, not as agitated as I had been before.

I guess dad had gotten all the embarrassing questions out of the way while I was spaced out, since now he was asking Derek questions about himself... But that probably meant that dad had asked the sex question...

_Yeah, probably best I didn't hear that one..._

Turned out that Derek loved baseball. His dad taught him how to play at the age of seven, his whole family playing with them both. Derek had played baseball at college, and had once thought about going professional.

To be honest, I could see it... Derek as a professional baseball player, I mean.

 _Maybe I should get him the Mets baseball uniform, that only_ I _can see Derek wear..._

_That sounds like a good plan. A very good plan indeed... Two of my favourite things combined!_

It was as I was smiling goofily at my daydream that those thoughts created that I realised dad and Derek were staring at me. Both of them seemed a little worried, but also amused...

_Great! Now there are two of them!_

"What?" I asked, a little defensively. "Can't a guy daydream?"

"A normal one can." dad nodded – _ouch_. "But after the years I spent with both your mother and you, I've come to learn that it's a dangerous thing."

"You're just jealous of our awesomeness!"

Dad and I grinned at each other, as we usually did when this kind of thing came up... I remember how, when I was younger, mom could have told me this story she made up, about all these awesome ' _mythical_ ' creatures, sending us both into a land of our own afterwards, both of us staring into space and thinking about all those things. Dad would usually come home to find us like that, laughing. His laugh would, normally, break my daydream, so he would always get mom out of her own fantasy land. He and mom would have had that exact conversation that dad and I just had...

As if realising this, the arm that Derek had around my shoulders tightened slightly, and I couldn't help but lean closer, smile widening a little. I know dad saw this...he followed the movement.

"Alright. One more question, then I'm done, for tonight." dad said. "How long has this been going on?"

_Ok, let's see. So it was January 8_ _th_ _... And this started on October 27_ _th_ _. So, that was..._

"Two months, one week and five days, sir." Derek replied, casually, calmly, not affected in the slightest.

_Yeah. That._

Dad just...nodded.

He was probably happy that it hadn't been going on for longer before it was brought to his attention, so I guess I should be grateful? I mean, he could be screaming and threatening to kill Derek right about now.

But he wasn't.

 _So_... Good sign!

But that did remind me...

"Dad?" I asked, trying to sound as perfectly innocent as possible, complete with my cry-on-demand-puppy-though-not-exactly-crying-yet eyes. "I have a question about this weekend."


	26. Mine!

**Stiles**

It took the rest of the week to get dad to agree to stay at Derek's for the weekend.

It was Friday night that he said I could, most likely sick of all my bugging, rolling his eyes as I jumped up in victory. Before he even finished talking I was running up the stairs to pack. Derek had already started packing a few of my things by the time I ran into my room...

You think I would have guessed that my boyfriend/Mate was listening in.

But the fact that he had been just as anxious as I was, waiting for my dad's reply, made me love him all the more.

And _fuck_ I _really_ shouldn't be _thinking_ the ' _L_ ' word! I mean, we had only been together for _two months, two weeks and two days_!

 _Love_ shouldn't be appearing now!

Or was that common if it was Mates?

Mates that had known each other for, almost, two years but only _just_ got together.

I didn't know the answer, but I wasn't going to mess up what I had with Derek by saying the ' _L_ ' word too soon.

Derek had ran my bags – including the ones I was taking to Texas – to his house, after I had packed everything I would need. It was _one_ of the _many_ perks of being in a relationship with a werewolf.

Another just so happened to be that they could run back to your house, slide into your bed and snuggle the _crap_ out of you!

That just so happened to be _one_ of the things I favourited... And Derek knew that...

But, hey, I wasn't complaining. Snuggle Time with Mate, made for a happy Stiles! The Pack seemed to have caught onto that fairly quickly... Now, anytime I was in a bad mood, they ran straight to Derek... Seconds later I would have an Alpha wolf attached to my back, arms around my waist and lips kissing my neck. All of that would be happening whilst I was being dragged backwards towards the couch, pulled down into Derek's lap, and moved around a little into a more comfortable position for Snuggle Time.

Snuggle Time _always_ improved my mood.

And it seemed to do the same for Derek.

Then again, touch was a big thing for werewolves and their Packs. The need to touch their Pack mates, to scent them to scare off any potential threat, to just be close...

That need was stronger for an Alpha.

Especially an Alpha that had found their Mate...

With the books Derek had let me borrow – dating the Sourwolf gave me certain privileges – I had read that, apparently, it was: a) difficult for a werewolf to hold back from _claiming_ their Mate, even more so if said wolf was an Alpha; b) excruciating for a wolf to be away from their Mate for long periods of time, especially is said Mate had not been _claimed_ properly; c) painful not to be able to touch their Mate for long periods of time; d) infuriating if they smelled any other wolf's scent – that _wasn't_ Pack – on their Mate, and there was actual records of werewolves hunting down the wolf that had put their scent all over their Mate, and killing that offending wolf.

There was _a whole lot more_ in the books, but it helped me understand the wolves' side of things more.

However, knowing some of those things were making me _dread_ going to Texas come Monday morning...

And I hadn't even _started_ reading about the affects it would have of the wolf's _Mate_ if said Mate wasn't a wolf themselves...

Now, _that_ was a part I was _not_ looking forward to.

* * *

Saturday morning, after breakfast with my dad and saying goodbye – since he was working all through the weekend and I wouldn't see him until I got back home – Derek practically _burst_ into my house, _pushed me_ out of the front door and _forcibly_ put me into his Camaro.

I _should_ have been annoyed.

Angry.

Frustrated.

I should have felt all of that and more, for the fact Derek thought he could do it...

But it just made me laugh, knowing that he wanted to start our weekend _AS SOON AS POSSIBLE_!

And I hated the fact that I knew Monday was going to come around _far_ too fast for my liking.

As soon as Derek slid into the driver's seat, I thought he was going to at least _say_ something...

_Nope._

Instead, Derek broke the speed limit to get back to his house faster... We were just lucky that we didn't run into my dad or any of his deputies.

I was, literally, clinging to the seat, hoping that he didn't break too hard that I flew through the window... I mean, that _may_ cause some problems, if that happened.

Looking over at my Sourwolf as he drove, I took note of his white knuckles, his locked jaw, his tense shoulders...

Usually, he only got like this when there was a new threat. Only ever then...

_So why was he like this now?_

I didn't say anything. For once... For once I didn't know what to say... For once I actually questioned what could happen if I said anything... So I played it say and kept quiet.

It couldn't be the full moon... The first full moon was January 26th... It was only January 12th... We had another two weeks.

It couldn't be a new ' _big_ bad'. If it was, Derek or Scott would have rung my cell and let me know...

I didn't know what else it could be...

I didn't know why Derek was acting like this...

All I knew was that it was freaking me out and I didn't like it.

* * *

Derek pulled to a screech outside of his house, the only thing keeping me from flying through the windscreen being the seatbelt.

The seat belt that I had only _just_ managed to take off before the door to my side of the car was ripped open and I was pulled from the seat, only to be pushed up against the side of the Camaro as Derek slammed the door shut.

Now I could see him properly, Derek's eyes were red.

Alpha red.

He was growling quietly, walking closer until he was pressed flush against me, hands in a bruising grip on my hips.

He leaned forward, pressing his face into the side of my neck, nosing along it.

I stayed perfectly still, trying to figure out what was going on with my Sourwolf.

And then he _bit_ me!

Completely human teeth, so I knew I _wasn't_ going to turn into a werewolf... But he _still bit me_!

He bit and licked and sucked along both sides of my neck in a kind of frenzy, growling all the while.

And then he said it...well, growled it.

Just one word that clued me in to what was going on.

Just one word that reminded me of a bit of text I had read.

" _Mine_!"


	27. Love You

**Stiles**

Ok, so, I was basically being attacked by my Alpha werewolf boyfriend/Mate... And the only reason I knew why, is because of the one thing he growled:

" _Mine_!"

I read in this book that Derek gave me that werewolves became very... _possessive_ of their Mates, especially if that werewolf was an Alpha and they weren't going to see their Mate for a while...

And the bite was kind of like... _marking their territory_ , so to speak, a claim of sorts.

So, me + Alpha Mate + Dallas trip on Monday = crazy, possessive, Alpha Derek.

And the worst thing is? How long this kind of uncontrollable frenzy lasted was different for each werewolf.

But there _was_ one way that would calm the wolf down, a word you could say... But that word would also push them a little further...

Right now, with the way Derek was marking the _fuck_ out of my neck, and had my hips in such a bruising grip? Saying that word was my only option.

The problem was, I couldn't remember what it was!

Derek ran his hands over me, his right hand slipping under my t-shirt, the nails on his right hand dragged from the centre of my chest all the way down to my jeans, catching my nipples on the way up and so on.

I could feel his erection digging into my thigh, even more so as he started to rock slowly against me, gradually pushing harder and harder.

As he continued to grind himself against me, continuing to mouth and bite and suck at my neck, both of his hands worked their ways down to the top of my jeans.

Derek's left hand moved so it was resting against the small of my back, palm flat against my skin, while his right stayed around my front. The index finger on his right hand hooked into the front of my jeans, tugging slightly, as his left hand pressed my lower half away from the side of his car and closer to him.

"D-D-Derek?" I tried to say, voice sounding embarrassingly breathy. "Don't think here is the best place to do this Big Guy. Might wanna go inside."

I should have known Derek would lift me over his shoulder, like he was a caveman.

* * *

As soon as he crashed through his bedroom door, I was chucked onto the bed in the middle of the room. Derek climbed over me and dropped back down gluing our mouths together, our tongues pushing against each other, unrelenting.

And while, yes, this was kind of happening really fast, I was still strangely alright with that...

My right hand gripped tight in Derek's dark brown – almost black looking – hair, tangling itself in the strands and getting a firm hold on it, dragging him closer.

Derek responded moving his hands to my hips, pulling me closer until there was no way anything could fit between us. Of course, the initial contact surprised me, meaning Derek pushed his tongue further into my mouth, deepening the kiss that little bit further.

I couldn't help the groan as Derek slowly grinded down, the feeling unbelievable.

Rolling my hips up into the Alpha wolf's, I took pleasure in the whimper that was drawn from his throat. And being someone who hasn't done anything like this before? Yeah, _that_ was a _massive_ confidence boost.

And then Derek started to move further down.

He trailed kisses from my lips, across my cheek, down my neck, over my shoulder, down my chest and stomach – nipping and licking as he went – until he reached the top of my jeans.

Derek looked back up at me, eye pulsing Alpha red, not doing anything until I nodded at him and bucked my hips up. Only then did he undo the button, _slowly_ pulling away the zipper. Even then, all Derek did was kiss his way back up my chest a little, turning my head to mush by not getting any lower any faster.

I swear, I was seconds away from using my grip in his hair to yank his head _down_!

But I didn't have to do that... He went further himself.

As Derek kept his mouth on my stomach, he trailed his hands _up_ from my thighs, hooking his thumbs into my jeans _and_ boxers, pulling them both down _slowly_ inch by inch.

I was sure I was going to go mad...

"Derek Hale, I swear to _God_ , if you don't _hurry up_..." but that's all I got out.

My words died in my throat as my jeans and boxers were thrown off of the mattress and a warm, large – somehow lubed – hand was gripping my cock tightly.

And, yeah, it felt better when it was someone _else_ doing that!

Even better when that person was _smoking hot_!

I shuddered and moaned as Derek set a slow pace; adjusting his grip he had every now and then, figuring out what I liked and what I didn't.

And, yeah, it was _definitely_ working...

Eye closed and one hand lost in his hair, I groped with my left hand, trying in vain to find something that _should_ have been in front of me.

I was both surprised _and_ disappointed to find that Derek had done the job of getting rid of his sweatpants himself. But, hey, that made it all the easier to return the favour, grabbing hold of his cock and _trying_ to copy what he was doing to me.

Of course, that was easier said than done, since he paused to shiver and groan when I first took him in my hand, using his pre-cum as lube.

Slowly, Derek moved his hips into the circle of my fingers, whimpering again as I tightened my hold around him and swiped my thumb across the head...

Who would have thought research and _lots_ of practice on myself would make me good at giving hand-jobs?

This time last year, if someone had told me that at I would be giving Derek Hale a hand-job at the same moment he was doing the same to me, while dating him, I would have thought they were insane, that there was no way that could happen, no matter how much I wanted it to.

 _Man_ , I was happy I would have been/was wrong!

It wasn't long before both of us just... _let go_ , groaning and gasping as we came seconds after the other.

I didn't mind having Derek's weight resting on me. I didn't mind him leaning against me.

It felt nice when _Derek_ did it.

The pair of us just lay there, breathing harshly, staring at each other, even as Derek rolled off of me and onto his side. Even as he grabbed tissues from his bedside table to clean us up a bit, throwing them to the side for now.

"Stupid, sexy Alpha wolves, and their stupid possessiveness." I grumbled, rolling onto my side so I could bury my head into Derek's chest and wrapped one arm around him as tight as I could. "Luck I love you."

And, with that, I just fell asleep – it was _far_ too early to be, _trust me_... But, because I was asleep, I didn't see the wide eyed expression on Derek's face.


	28. Mean It?

**Stiles**

When I woke up, again, at twelve fifty two, Saturday – January 12th – afternoon. Derek had disappeared, but his side was still warm, so he hadn't been gone for long.

When I first woke up at stupid-o'clock in the morning, I never thought that my day would have started off like _this_... I mean, who _would_?!

But, hey, it wasn't like I was complaining.

Well, I _wasn't_... Not until I remembered the last thing I said.

But I _knew_ Derek had heard me! There was no denying it! Because of the stupid werewolfy powers, he _heard_!

It had only been two months, two weeks and two days, and I had said the ' _L_ ' word!

How stupid did I have to be?!

Groaning and throwing an arm over my eyes, I rolled onto my back. For the second time in my life, I regretted saying something to Derek. But, the worst thing was, I _shouldn't_ regret saying _this_!

Ok, so I _didn't_ regret saying it to him... It was more of the fact that I regretted saying it so soon.

I guess thinking to myself about how soon it was to start thinking about the ' _L_ ' word didn't help either... I mean, the fact that that word was at the forefront of my mind, because of how much I had been thinking it, it was only natural that it slipped out when I was tired.

_Yeah right! Keep kidding yourself._

But that was it, right? I couldn't _love_ Derek yet. Could I?

 _How are you even at the top of your classes?! The answer is_ obvious _, dumbass!_

And it was, I guess.

The answer was obvious, but I just didn't want to admit it because then it would become all too real and it would hurt more when it was gone.

When I lost it all.

The answer as to why I said ' _I love you_ ' was obvious.

And now I was going to lose it all, because I screwed it up so badly.

"I'm such an idiot." I muttered to myself.

* * *

After another fifteen minutes of lying in Derek's bed, I sighed and rolled out of it.

Rubbing my eyes, I slipped into my boxers and jeans, before grabbing the first t-shirt – just so happened to be Derek's – I found and put that on too.

Trying to prolong the amount of time I spent upstairs, before facing the inevitable doom that awaited me downstairs, I walked as slowly as I could to the bathroom that was attached to Derek's room.

As soon as I walked in, I had to stop and back up so I could take another look in the mirror.

 _BOTH_ sides of my neck were covered from top to base with _dark bruises_ and _bite marks_! Pulling down the top of my jeans slightly, I noticed I had finger shaped bruises there too! Not to mention that, when I lifted up the t-shirt to check, I had faint red claw scratches – they would heal, thank God – going from my shoulders all the way down to my hips.

Well, that was going to be fun to explain to the people in my creative writing class.

I mean, not many people at the school knew about Derek and me, despite how much the Pack brought it up within hearing range of _everyone_ , and the guys in my creative writing class didn't know. Now, I was going to have to spend a _week_ ,in Texas, in a room with three or four of them. They were going to see the bruises and the scratches... It was _inevitable_ that they were going to ask about them!

Oh, that sucked, so much!

Shaking my head, I shut the door to the bathroom, turning on the cold tap at the sink, splashing the reasonably cold water onto my face, trying to wake myself up. It was a technique that I tried some mornings, not that it ever worked...

But, hey, worth a try, right?

Sighing a little, I finished up in the bathroom in, about, five minutes, checking my phone before starting the dreaded walk downstairs to find Derek.

As soon as I started to walk down the stairs, I could already hear signs of life from the kitchen.

I knew it wouldn't be Isaac since he was spending the weekend at Danny's, plus Erica and Boyd had went over to Jackson's house along with Lydia for the weekend. So, by default, Derek was the only person it could be.

_Oh, what fun..._

Taking a deep breath, I pushed forward, focusing on just getting through it.

Focusing on hear Derek that I cocked up, that he was wrong and he wanted me gone.

To me, it sounded completely plausible. I mean, everyone left me at some point, whether intentional or not. So it made sense that Derek would too.

It was logical, even.

I was standing in the kitchen before it even registered, just staring off into space and thinking about all the ways Derek could brutally say this was over.

All of them playing through my head at once.

All of them making me dread this just a little more.

Of course, I forgot that I wasn't the only one who could tell this.

Before I knew it, arms had wrapped around me from behind, snapping me out of my head. A face pressed into the right side of my neck gently.

And I said the first thing that came to mind.

"So, are you normal-Derek now, or are you still ' _Alpha-wolf-grrr_ '?" I asked, teasingly, trying to avoid the topic. "Because I don't think my neck can take anymore abuse."

"Shut up." came the mumbled response.

"Ah, normal-Derek, good! You know, you freaked me out dude, I had no idea what was going on with you for a moment there! If you hadn't leant me those books, I would have never known!"

Derek didn't say anything to that, only dragged me back further into him as he lifted his head and rested his chin on my shoulder.

"You said you loved me." he said instead, sounding casual.

Of course, that made _me_ panic.

Quick as I could, I got myself out of Derek's hold and walked towards the fridge, pulling out the apple juice before grapping a plastic cup.

"Did I?" I asked, paying more attention to pouring the juice into my cup then to the actual conversation.

"Yes, you did." Derek replied, quietly, sounding closer than before.

I already knew that Derek could tell how fast my heart was beating.

I already knew that Derek could tell I was freaking out.

_Stupid wolfy powers!_

I didn't turn around.

I kept my back to Sourwolf as I screwed the lid back onto the juice carton and placed it back into the fridge.

Today, the apple juice tasted bitter and tangy as it slid down my throat, nothing like the sweet awesomeness that it usually was.

But I still drank it.

"Did you mean it?" he asked after a moment of silence, stepping closer.

Placing the cup back down on the counter and clearing my throat slightly, I moved away from the counter – still with my back to Derek – and started to walk towards the other side of the kitchen.

Derek, however, gently grabbed my arm and pulled me back and around so I was facing him. But, keeping my head down, I avoided eye contact.

"Did. You. Mean. It?" he asked again, separating each word.

I had _definitely_ screwed up.

It was _obvious_ that Derek didn't reciprocate, which was fine, I guess...

Ok, no, that was a lie! It was totally _not_ fine, that would be a bad thing to find out!

But why would he love me?

 _Tolerate_ me? Yes.

Like me? Yes.

 _Love_ me? Yeah right, in my dreams!

He was pissed, he had to be! I mean, why wouldn't he be mad?

_Way to go, Stilinski..._

"Stiles?" Derek sighed, quietly, softly forcing my head up until I had no choice but to look him in the eyes. "Did you mean it?"

So, I did the only thing I could do.

Lie, and hope he believed it.

"No, nope, not at all. Big joke, funny right?" I laughed, nervously. "So, uh, wanna..."

"You're lying." Derek interrupted, confused, head tilted to the side like a giant puppy.

"No I didn't."

"You did it again."

"No I didn't."

" _Stiles_!"

Going quiet, I turned my head down again, staring at the ground.

"Why are you lying?" Derek asked.

Sighing, I shrugged. But Derek didn't take that as an answer.

No.

So, using his strength and the grip he already had on my arm to his advantage, Derek dragged me towards him, before moving until he could lift me, like a rag doll, so I sat on the edge of the counter, while he stood between my legs.

"Well?" he questioned, expectantly.

"Why do you think?" I mumbled, pathetically.

Because at the moment I was – pathetic.

If you _really_ thought about it.

And, by the way Derek sighed; I thought he thought so too.

Until he started laughing... At that point, I was just confused.

"Stiles, if _I_ didn't _love_ _you_ then you wouldn't _be_ my Mate!" Derek told me.

And, yeah, that got my attention.

"A werewolf, both their human _and_ wolf side, loves their Mate, you _idiot_." he continued. "I thought you _knew_ that!"

Less than twelve hours with Derek and I was already red in the face. But the tension in my body already started to fade as I sat there.

"Oh..." I muttered. "So...it's ok that I said it?"

"Thought you didn't mean it." Derek teased, smirking slightly.

"Keep being an asshole and I won't."

I really should stop lying to werewolves...


	29. Saturday

**Stiles**

For the rest of Saturday, Derek and I pretty much just stayed in his room – I had changed out of my jeans and into my sweatpants, still wearing Derek's t-shirt –, only ever leaving to go to the bathroom or to go to the kitchen.

Other than that, we stayed in his room. I mean, it had everything else we needed.

I thought it was the perfect way to start the weekend.

Come on, it was _every_ teenagers dream to be able to just stay in bed or the _whole_ weekend! Any that said it wasn't, was lying.

"I don't know if I want to go to Dallas..." I mumbled into Derek's shoulder, as we lay in his bed.

"I _know_ I don't want you to go to Dallas." Derek huffed, quietly.

Grinning slightly, I turned my head up so I could look at the Alpha wolf. All though, right now, I should be saying Sourwolf. I mean, he had _the sourest_ expression he had _ever_ made!

He looked like a petulant child having a temper tantrum...

It was, both, cute _and_ funny.

"I know _you_ don't." I laughed. "You made that pretty clear when you _raced_ over to my dad to try and convince him to let me stay. _And_ you made that pretty clear, _this morning_ , with the possessive Alpha wolf bit."

As Derek went to speak, I covered his mouth with my hand, glaring at him just a little.

"Now, because of you, my neck looks like it's been mauled. Which, I guess, it has been." I scolded, propping myself up onto my elbow. "Did you forget that I was going to Dallas with people in my _class_? That I would have to spend _a week_ with these people, and they're going to _see_ what you did to my neck? You've doomedme."

"But..." Derek started as I moved my hand.

"No buts! You've _doomed_ me! You're a bad Sourwolf."

I should have seen it coming when Derek pushed me sideways and onto my back.

* * *

For dinner we decided on take out, neither of us being bothered to go down to the kitchen and cook. So, calling the Chinese place – Derek already knew the number, considering how many times we got food from there during Pack gatherings – and ordering, Derek actually _put on_ some sweatpants.

Seriously, since we got into his room that morning, Derek had been wearing – either – nothing or just his boxers.

Now, while both of those were fine when it was just the _two_ of us, it certainly _wasn't_ fine when someone would be coming around or to the door.

Only I got to see what went on under those sweatpants.

No one else.

Especially after the semi-sexy times.

Of course it was disappointing... _for know_. But, at least, when our take out had been delivered, I could get Derek back _out_ of his sweatpants...

So, while we were waiting, Derek and I just continued to lie in Derek's bed. I was seriously thinking of getting Scott to help me _kidnap_ this bed when Derek was out one day, because I was honest to God in love with it!

I'm not kidding. It was huge and squishy and soft and just... _amazing_! I never wanted to leave it.

"What are you thinking about?" Derek asked, quietly, pulling me closer.

"How much I love your bed." I replied, instantly.

"My... _bed_?"

"Well, yeah. I think I'm going to miss it more than you, come Monday."

I totally expected the annoyed possessive growl that rumbled deep in my Sourwolf's chest.

But I just so happened to time it _so well_ that, before he could do or say anything, the doorbell rang.

The look of Derek's face, however, told me that he was going to make sure I was going to miss him more than his bed sometime after he came back.

* * *

That night at, around, half eleven, all the lights were off.

Curtains closed.

Doors locked.

Both Derek and I under the duvet, huddled together.

Neither of us was tired and it was something that we had done all day, but it was nice.

"What time do you have to leave?" Derek whispered, neither of us wanting to break the quiet too much.

"We have to be at the airport for four in the morning." I whispered back. "Our plane is at, about, six, so we'll get there for eleven fifteen."

"Are you going to be able to survive that?"

Hitting the silently chuckling wolf, I couldn't help but smile.

I mean, he _had_ spent the past two years knowing me; he knew I couldn't stay still or quiet for long...

"I'll most likely be asleep the whole ride over there." I explained. "If not, than Greg said I could talk to him."

"Who's _Greg_?" Derek asked, wearily.

I could pretty much _see_ the way his eyes squinted.

"My teacher – Gregory Duff." I sighed. "He prefers students to call him by his first name. No one knows why and no one cares. He's always done it."

"How do you know _that_?" Derek snorted.

"I have friends who are turning twenty four this year, and they had Greg when they went to Beacon Hills high."

Derek turned his head down and to the side so he could look at me, frowning in confusion.

Sometimes I forgot that not everyone knew about my _other_ friends.

And by ' _not everyone_ ', I meant everyone that _wasn't_ my dad.

"Long story. I've known one my _entire_ life, known another since I was two, known the other eight since I was three." I yawned. "They all left after they graduated college. Moved to New York. Anyway, they all had Greg back then, and they called him Greg too."

"They were the year below me..." Derek mused. "Tomorrow, you're telling me who they are."

"Whatever you say, Sourwolf. Sleep now."

Chuckling slightly, Derek pulled the duvet up higher, dragging me closer as he did.

"Sleep then." he said, burying his face into my hair.

"Love you, Sourwolf." I mumbled.

"I love you too."

This was the start to a great weekend.


	30. Leaving

**Stiles**

Sunday went exactly the same as Saturday – I even told him about my _other_ friends: Liam, Noah, Jessie, Gray, Christa, Johnny, Tiana, Cayden, Susannah and Tyson, who Derek actually _did_ know –, except Derek and I actually went to sleep early.

And I mean _really_ early.

But, considering he was getting up at two thirty in the morning with me, we kind of _had_ to go to sleep early.

As in seven o'clock in the evening, early.

But, hey, it paid off when you had to wake up so early on Monday morning, so you could do the hour and eleven minute drive to Chico Municipal Airport, to meet you class and teacher for four o'clock, to then catch a plane at six.

The whole Pack came to see me off, albeit a little begrudgingly... I didn't take it personally; I mean, I didn't like the fact I was awake and out of bed/the house at this time in the morning.

And, even though they didn't have to stay with me until my flight, they did.

"This is the _last_ time I'm coming out this early for one of you." Jackson yawned, leaning the side of his head on top of Lydia's.

"Even _I_ can tell you're lying, Jax." I chuckled tiredly, clapping him on the back weakly. "You love us too much."

"I don't right now."

Shaking my head slightly, while leaning back into the wall of muscle that was my Derek, I folded my arms over my chest.

"Oh, I know that look." Scott laughed, pulling Allison closer to him.

"What's it mean?" Isaac slurred.

"Jackson's in _trouble_."

Scott always did that little sing-song voice whenever the look was aimed at someone else... If it was ever aimed at him, he would always try to correct what he did wrong or lied about. It was actually quite funny, and at least I knew it worked on people.

I mean, hell, it worked on my _dad and Derek_!

"That's because Jackson's lying to me right now." I said, making and holding eye contact with the wolf in question. "And he should know better than to lie, _especially_ to me."

I swear, Jackson _genuinely_ looked like a kicked puppy.

 _Never_ would I have imagined that I would ever use the look on Jackson Whittemore, and that the look would work!

Everyone else just started to laugh, someone even asking about other times I had used that look. Scott pretty much just jumped into all the stories involving it, while I just leaned back into Derek a little more, closed my eyes and listened.

It was nice that the Pack was stronger than it was back in September.

* * *

" _Can't you just stay?"_

" _We'll miss you."_

" _Say you're ill, that usually works."_

" _I bet_ you _could write a story based in Dallas without_ actually _going there."_

" _Please don't go._ "

They were only five of the things said to me throughout our trip to the airport.

Though, they were being said more frequently as the time to leave grew closer.

"Guys, I _have_ to go. We talked about this." I sighed, smiling slightly.

It was strange how _I_ was the youngest in the group, yet I was almost like a _parent_.

 _HOLY SHIT! If this was an_ actual _family Derek and I would be the fucking parents! What even is my life?!_

"But why?" Isaac whined. "You don't want to. We don't want you to... _Please_."

"That's enough." Derek said from where he stood behind me. "Stiles will be back before you know it."

Laughing a little, I looked around at all of them.

"Geez, you guys make it sound like I'm going to be away for longer than I actually am." I grinned. "I'll be back on Friday at eleven."

"But that's so long!" Isaac muttered.

"Isaac." Derek warned, softly.

Giving my Sourwolf a small grateful smile, I heard Gregory – Mr Duff – say it was time to make our way to the terminal. So, turning to the Pack, I started to say goodbye.

Erica, Lydia and Allison all dragged me into one big hug.

Boyd bear hugged me.

Jackson and Danny were a little more reserved.

Scott and Isaac practically _pounced on me_.

And Derek... Well, it's Derek; he _had_ to make a show of it. So he did the hug, the kiss, more hugging and, during the hug, placed his head in my neck so he could nip at one of the bruises there without anyone seeing what he did.

"Asshole." I mumbled, still smiling.

"Love you too." Derek whispered, chuckling.

It was going to be weird without them.

* * *

On the plane, I found it hard to fall asleep. The rest of my class – thirteen students – plus Mr Duff had fallen asleep, so I was awake and left with no one to talk to.

I had put my cell phone on flight mode, but I knew that everyone would be asleep, since they had to be in class shortly... However, it was nice to have it there, just in case. Besides my background was a picture of the whole Pack together and it made me feel better...

It was just as I turned to look out the window that my phone started to vibrate on the small table, next to my notebook and pencil, in front of me.

_**Monday, 14** _ _**th** _ _**January 2013 – 06:51 am –** _ **My Sourwolf** _**: ** _ _Next time, I'm not letting you leave._

And that just brought a smile to my face...

_**Monday, 14** _ _**th** _ _**January 2013 – 06:55 am –** _ **Stiles** _ **:** _ _Next time, you should come with me ;)_

_**Monday, 14** _ _**th** _ _**January 2013 – 06:59 am –** _ **My Sourwolf** _**:** _ _Gladly. At least no would touch what's mine._

_**Monday, 14** _ _**th** _ _**January 2013 – 07:02 am –** _ **Stiles** _ **:** _ _It's scary that I know you're serious... :/_

_**Monday, 14** _ _**th** _ _**January 2013 – 07:06 am –** _ **My Sourwolf** _ **:** _ _You love it 3:)_

_**Monday, 14** _ _**th** _ _**January 2013 – 07:10 am –** _ **Stiles** _ **:** _ _DID YOU JUST USE AN EMOJI?! :O_

_**Monday, 14** _ _**th** _ _**January 2013 – 07:14 am –** _ **My Sourwolf** _ **:** _ _Erica made me learn -_-_

_**Monday, 14** _ _**th** _ _**January 2013 – 07:18 am –** _ **Stiles** _ **:** _ _For that,_ _I'm buying her something nice in Dallas ^_^ Don't worry Sourwolf, I'll find you something pretty too ;)_

_**Monday, 14** _ _**th** _ _**January 2013 – 07:24 am –** _ **My Sourwolf** _ **:** _ _-_- Just... Be safe._

_**Monday, 14** _ _**th** _ _**January 2013 – 07:28 am –** _ **Stiles _:_** _Will do, Fluffy ^_^ Like you said, I'll be back before we know it._

Man, I hoped that was true.


	31. Monday To Friday

**Derek**

Monday afternoon, or early evening if you prefer.

Stiles had already been in Texas for four hours – it was now 5:15 pm – and we had heard nothing from him.

Now, that would have been fine... _if_ we didn't know what was _really_ out there. But, because we do, it made the Pack – _me_ – worry!

Now, some would think it was pathetic – which it was – that I was acting like this, but a wolf not having there Mate close to them was never good. Prolonged separation after finding a Mate could result in the wolf going mad, rabid.

There had even been records of an Alpha destroying his own Pack, as well as himself, because his Mate had left the country to never return. Another that said an Alpha had murdered over half the village she lived in, because her Mate had gone away for work for so long.

I didn't want to be like those Alphas.

No one should _ever_ want to be like _those_ Alphas.

Not many werewolves knew that happened. They only found out _after_ they let their Mate leave, thinking that what they were feeling before their Mate left – the fear, the anxiety, the pain – was linked to something else, but couldn't explain what.

Luckily, my mom was one the Alphas that _knew_ what would happen, making sure to tell _all of us_ about it.

But five days should be alright.

" _Hey, Derek, you realise you left your cell of silent, right?!"_ Scott called from the living room. _"Stiles called, like five times and left forty texts and counting."_

* * *

 _ **Tuesday, January 15**_ _ **th**_ _ **2013 – 11:14 am –**_ **Stiles:** _HEY, DER-BEAR!_

 _ **Tuesday, January 15**_ _ **th**_ _ **2013 – 11:16 am –**_ **Derek:** _Why do you insist on calling me that? I prefer 'Sourwolf' to that._

 _ **Tuesday, January 15**_ _ **th**_ _ **2013 – 11:18 am –**_ **Stiles:** _Tough titties, Der-Bear 3:) So, you missing me yet? ;)_

 _ **Tuesday, January 15**_ _ **th**_ _ **2013 – 11:20 am –**_ **Derek:** _Yes._

 _ **Tuesday, January 15**_ _ **th**_ _ **2013 – 11:22 am –**_ **Stiles:** _Aw, miss you too, Sourwolf ^_^ So, any problems back home? Are the pups behaving? Are YOU behaving?_

 _ **Tuesday, January 15**_ _ **th**_ _ **2013 – 11:24 am –**_ **Derek:** _No, yes, yes._

_**Tuesday, January 15** _ _**th** _ _**2013 – 11:25 am –** _ **Derek:** _YOUR RELATIONSHIP RIVALS DESTIEL!_

_**Tuesday, January 15**_ _ **th**_ _ **2013 – 11:26 am –**_ **Stiles:** _Good Sourwolf ;)_

 _ **Tuesday, January 15**_ _ **th**_ _ **2013 – 11:26 am –**_ **Stiles:** _Did Isaac get your phone again?_

 _ **Tuesday, January 15**_ _ **th**_ _ **2013 – 11:28 am –**_ **Derek:** _How did you ever guess? -_- What even IS Destiel?_

 _ **Tuesday, January 15**_ _ **th**_ _ **2013 – 11:32 am –**_ **Stiles:** _You didn't just... Did you just...? How could you have just...? You haven't...? WHEN I GET HOME I AM SO MAKING YOU WATCH SUPERNATURAL WITH ME! ALL 8 SEASONS THAT ARE OUT SO FAR! AND YOU WILL LOVE THEM AND CHERISH THEM AND YOU WILL SHIP DESTIEL! AND IF YOU DON'T LOVE JENSEN ACKLES OR MISHA COLLINS OR JARED PADALECKI AFTER, THEN YOU BETTER RUN SOURWOLF, YOU BETTER RUN!_

 _ **Tuesday, January 15**_ _ **th**_ _ **2013 – 11:33 am –**_ **Stiles:** _Anyway, I have to go. Love you ^_^_

I say there, staring at my phone, reading the message that Stiles had sent me, and only one thing was running through my mind:

"What did I just do?"

* * *

Wednesday.

We couldn't actually get a hold of Stiles on Wednesday, but we already knew that that was going to happen. Stiles had mentioned that, apparently, the group were going to this certain part of Texas were signal and Wi-Fi was shit, so we wouldn't be able to contact him for the whole day.

It was mind-blowing how hard that was.

I guess the Pack were feeling it too since, at random points during the day, one of them would pick up my cell phone and text the kid in question.

 _ **Wednesday, January 16**_ _ **th**_ _ **2013 – 10:31 am –**_ **Derek:** _You better come back in one piece – Boyd._

 _ **Wednesday, January 16**_ _ **th**_ _ **2013 – 15:42 pm –**_ **Derek:** _Miss you, Batman! You better bring me back something nice ;) Love Catwoman xx_

 _ **Wednesday, January 16**_ _ **th**_ _ **2013 – 16:53 pm –**_ **Derek:** _Stiles, I swear, if you come back home with even a scratch on you, I will kill you... And you better involve me a lot in this story of yours! Lydia xx_

 _ **Wednesday, January 16**_ _ **th**_ _ **2013 – 17:04 pm –**_ **Derek:** _Hi, Stiles. No, this isn't Derek, it's Allison. I hope your trip's going ok, sweetie – thankfully nothing has happened here! Everyone's going insane without you here, especially Derek... We can't wait to have you back xx_

 _ **Wednesday, January 16**_ _ **th**_ _ **2013 – 18:15 pm –**_ **Derek:** _STI! It's Scott, dude :D Come back already. I mean it. Now. Do it. Come back to us. Don't you love us anymore? :( I'm kidding, I'm kidding! But, seriously bro...we need you back. See you soon, buddy!_

 _ **Wednesday, January 16**_ _ **th**_ _ **2013 – 19:26 pm –**_ **Derek:** _Stiles, it's Danny. Hope everything's going alright over there and, you know, sorry for the bombshell of messages from all of us... We told you we'd miss you. Hurry up and come back though would you? It's no fun video-gaming it with the others ;)_

 _ **Wednesday, January 16**_ _ **th**_ _ **2013 – 20:37 pm –**_ **Derek:** _Hey Stiles, it's Isaac. COME BACK! Derek actually went out and bought seasons 1 to 8 of Supernatural for when you return – YOU'RE WELCOME! XD After you make him watch it, we should make EVERYONE watch it too o.O It could be a you-and-Derek-thing and then a Pack-thing! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE! Anyway, come back safe, ok? We need our Pack Mom back... Anyway, Pup out =^-_-^=_

 _ **Wednesday, January 16**_ _ **th**_ _ **2013 – 21:48 pm –**_ **Derek:** _Er... Hey, Jackson here... You really should have told them you were ill, then you could have stayed -_- It's weird, not having you here. Just, uh... If the guys in your class give you any grief, tell me who they are and I'll sort them out for you. So, yeah... Have fun; get back quick._

They all sent one text, from my phone, each that day, as well as many more from their own phones.

It was a little strange actually, but it was almost natural... I didn't know how to describe it.

The only thing I could think of was: we were, now, a fully functional Pack. I mean, we had the Alpha (me), we had the Alpha Mate (Stiles), we had all the Betas, we had the humans, we all worked together and supported each other – thanks to Stiles.

We could now be called a Pack.

For the first time since the fire, since Laura...I had a Pack again.

I had a family again, even if I was the only adult...

Well, if you didn't count Melissa and John, but they weren't immediate Pack... At least, not yet; there was always time and a chance.

I had gone through the whole day with only calling Stiles and leaving a voice mail _once_. So, that night, I sent a little text.

 _ **Wednesday, January 16**_ _ **th**_ _ **2013 – 23:58 pm –**_ **Derek:** _So, this is actually me right now, and you're probably asleep right now. I should be too, actually... Look, doing this over the phone sucks. A lot. It's better with you here. I just want you back, we all do. Not long left until you're back, and then you get to spend another weekend at the house. Saturday will be just us; Sunday, from 12pm onwards it'll be the whole Pack... I think we all – even you – need that Pack time._

 _ **Wednesday, January 16**_ _ **th**_ _ **2013 – 23:59 pm –**_ **Derek:** _Anyway, goodnight... I love you, Gen._

I really just wanted it to be time to get Stiles from the airport right now.

* * *

Thursday.

I had gotten to sleep at three in the morning, waking up at nine like I do most days.

It wasn't a pleasant experience.

No one seemed to be getting a good night's sleep. There had been times when Jackson, Danny, Scott, Lydia and Allison had called home to let them know they were staying the night. Of course, Danny and Jackson and Lydia said it was to ' _study_ ', while Scott and Allison actually told their parents the truth.

Having the nine of us together made it easier for all of us... But we needed Stiles back.

But he wouldn't be back until eleven at night on Friday. So we had _over_ twenty four hours left to go.

We were all missing him.

We all wanted him home.

I'm pretty sure that if this ever happened again, we would be chaining him to my house, _or_ we'd all go too.

It was sometime after four in the afternoon, when the Betas were round, that we got the call. My cell phone started to ring, Isaac walked over and glancing at the name, before he practically pounced onto the thing, hitting loudspeaker.

"STILES!" he yelled.

Just like that, from whatever room they were in, _everyone_ ran into the living room, gathering around the coffee table that my cell phone was sitting on.

" _Hey, dudes!"_ Stiles' voice chuckled. _"I take it from all the texts that you guys miss me, huh?"_

I never thought I'd be happy to hear a voice after three days – not including my family... But, for Stiles', I was.

"Of course we..."

"How could you think we...?"

"How's Te...?"

Those were the only three things I could pick out as everyone started to talk at once, all wanting to be heard...

"One at a time, guys." I said.

"Are you having...?"

"What's going...?"

"Any ideas...?"

Honestly, sometimes it was like being with a bunch of children!

"Alright, be quiet now." I sighed.

"Send me a..."

"You better..."

"Can you get...?"

I swear, if Stiles ever left Beacon Hills without us again I would drag him back.

" _SHUT UP!_ " I yelled. "For the love of God, before you give me a headache, one at a time!"

Everything was silent then, on both ends of the phone.

That was, until Stiles started giggling.

" _Missed you guys too."_ he gasped between chuckling-breaths. _"But, hey, just over twenty four hours until I'm back."_

If I could, I would speed up time.

* * *

Friday.

Only a few more hours.

Just a few more hours and Stiles would be back where he belonged.

His plane was getting in at, around, eleven this evening and, already, it was seven at night.

Just four more hours.

Well, that's what I thought, until I got the text.

 _ **Friday, January 18**_ _ **th**_ _ **2013 – 7:15 pm –**_ **Stiles:** _Hey Der, so we're actually getting back earlier than I thought – one of the girls got sick, so we had to cut the rest of today short and we're on the plane now – only just got signal. Can you come to the airport for, like, 9?_

I would deny until my dying day that my wolf _yipped_. My wolf does _not_ yip, it _never_ yips! But that's the only way I could describe what he did.

 _ **Friday, January 18**_ _ **th**_ _ **2013 – 7:20 pm –**_ **Derek:** _Yeah, that's fine, Gen. That's improved my mood ;)_

At least no one could say I was a liar.

 _ **Friday, January 18**_ _ **th**_ _ **2013 – 7:28 pm –**_ **Stiles:** _Oi, Tess is really sick and she's one of the sweetest people in the world, don't be mean! :P Bad, Sourwolf. Maybe I should just accept that ride from Kai..._

 _ **Friday, January 18**_ _ **th**_ _ **2013 – 7:30 pm –**_ **Derek:** _I will tear him apart, limb from limb._

 _ **Friday, January 18**_ _ **th**_ _ **2013 – 7:48 pm –**_ **Stiles:** _I'm kidding, Der XD Besides, he's not my type – too much like Jackson. I prefer my guys dark haired, green eyed and hot ;)_

 _ **Friday, January 18**_ _ **th**_ _ **2013 – 7:49 pm –**_ **Derek:** _Yeah, nice save... Look, going to leave now, I'll see you soon, Gen._

The past five days had been the longest five days in my life.

But, hey, it wasn't long now...


	32. Nice To Be Wrong Sometimes

**Stiles**

Walking out into the airport just after nine in the evening, I scanned through the crowds of people, trying to find one face in particular. Of course, that was hard to do when the airport was packed and different people from my class kept dragging me into different conversations.

I wouldn't say I was friends with any of them, more like acquaintances, but I still got along with all of them.

Kai Johnson, one of the guys in my class – the one that offered me the ride – was one of the ones that I was closer too. He was a nice guy; it was just unfortunate that he never really seemed to put any effort into his work.

"Offer still stands, dude." Kai grinned, walking over and slinging his arm around my shoulders. "I'll be happy to give you a ride back home."

He had been like that on the plane as well – well, when he wasn't sleeping anyway. It was finally getting to a point when I just wanted to hit him and tell him to fuck off. Yes, he could be a nice guy, but he could be damn right annoying when he wanted to.

"Someone's here to get me." I sighed, moving out from under his arm as I continued to scan the crowd.

_Where was Derek?_

"Sorry, dude, no one seems to be here." Kai chuckled, moving closer again. "Come on, I'll take you back. We don't necessarily have to go to your place."

"Wait, what?!" I shrieked, rounding on him.

This was _not_ how things were supposed to go...

Sure, Kai had been nice.

He had been the first person in the class to talk to me when we started.

He had been the person that helped when I had writers block.

And, yeah, there was the touching.

_Oh, I'm an idiot. He wasn't doing that to be nice..._

"Come on, what do you got to lose?" Kai grinned, walking closer still.

" _You're going to lose an arm if you, don't. Back._ Off." a familiar, deep growl came from behind me.

Talk about hallelujah!

Kai started to look up with that same smug, arrogant look that Jackson _used_ to always have attached to his face – before he became Pack – but dropped completely when he looked into the face of Sourwolf.

Smirking slightly, I rolled my eyes before turning around to face the Alpha wolf behind me.

"Well, _you_ took your time, Sourwolf." I scolded.

Derek said nothing, just continued to glare at Kai from over the top of my head, as he dragged me into him.

Shaking my head and laughing slightly, I just moved Derek away, leaving a frightened Kai standing there with wide eyes.

* * *

The entire ride to his house, Derek had one hand on the wheel and then one hand placed somewhere on me.

At first, it confused me... And then I saw the hard look on his face.

Werewolves have a _very_ powerful sense of smell.

I had been with non-Pack people for five days.

One of those non-Pack people was trying to proposition me.

Derek was an Alpha.

Derek was a _possessive_ Alpha, who hadn't seen his Mate in five days.

He was ' _marking his territory_ ', just like he did with the bite on the Saturday before I left.

I said nothing, letting him do what he needed to. I mean, he was going to go full out Touchy-wolf as soon as we got back to his place – not that I minded – and if I made him wait until then, he would go crazy.

Literally.

Werewolves didn't respond well from being away from their Mates for at all... Especially if their Mate wasn't with a member of the Pack or was away longer than a day or two.

All in all, not a happy Sourwolf.

So, I did the only thing I could – sat back and let Derek to whatever.

Of course, I didn't just leave it to him. I mean werewolves; even Derek – though he would never admit it – liked touch. Touch from family, touch from Pack, touch from Mates. Even _human_ Mates got like that. Which was why I had the urge to do the same to him as he was to me.

He seemed happy with how it had progressed.

* * *

Derek parked his Camaro as fast as he could a jumped out the driver's door.

I thought he was going to do _exactly_ what he did on the Saturday, but he surprised me...

Yes, he did drag me out of the car and push me up against the side of it, but instead of marking my neck and just simply attacking me, he just hugged me.

There was just a giant puppy underneath all that ' _grrr_ ', but no one but me ever got to see that side of him.

"Don't leave again." I heard him say into my neck.

Yeah, no one but me ever got to see this.

And I think they would all have an _extremely_ different perception of him if they knew.

Smiling a little, I wrapped my arms around his neck.

"I thought you were going to come with me next time." I joked, running my right hand through his hair.

"Don't leave." Derek mumbled, his hold on me getting tighter.

Sighing a little, I rested the side on my head on Derek's, just taking a moment to enjoy being back.

"I won't." I muttered.

* * *

It was a few minutes later that we actually got inside the house, choosing to just crash onto the couch for a bit before actually going to sleep. Just wind down, doing nothing but sitting there and talking, because, seriously, I had to stop myself from talking so much on that fucking trip that I needed to say something already!

"Get any ideas while you were away?" Derek asked, quietly, before I could start to speak.

It surprised me how, sometimes, he knew when I needed to talk but didn't know what to start with.

So I just launched into the most detailed – well, as detailed as I could – explanation of what my brain had come up with and the things we had done/seen over in Dallas that gave me the idea.

The entire time, Derek just sat there and listened to me ramble on and on and on and on, not once making a comment like he used to about ripping my throat out with his teeth if I didn't shut up... Although, the way he ' _ripped my throat out with his teeth_ ' now we were together was actually _really_ enjoyable, so I didn't think I would mind all too much...

But, no. He just...sat there and listened.

Before October, I would _never_ have thought this would happen...

I guess it was nice to be wrong sometimes. Only sometimes.


	33. Saturday 2

**Stiles**

Waking up on Saturday was lovely.

No early morning.

No ' _roommates_ '.

It was amazing.

Well, it would have been, if Derek was still there!

Seriously, I expected to wake up surrounded by Alpha wolf, not alone.

Of course, three minutes after I woke up and got back into the bed, said Alpha wolf came sneaking back in.

"Bastard, you moved." I growled from my hiding place under the covers.

"Well, I thought you would want _something_ to eat. _And_ your Adderall." Derek chuckled.

Yeah, that was probably a good idea.

But Derek didn't need to know that.

So, instead of responding, I just stretched an arm out of the warm blankets and made a grabby motion towards the wolf, until he got the message and slid back onto the mattress.

As soon as he had, Derek hefted me up until it was safe to put a glass of water and me meds in my hand, not letting me lie back down until I had downed them both. Only when I had and he had placed the glass on the side did Derek let me lie down. Of course, I always found him more comfortable...

Not that he minded.

"I was right you know." I told him. "You doomed me."

All I got was a confused puppy look, which, yeah, shouldn't have been as cute as it was.

But it was.

And – I was blaming my next move of the fact my Adderall hadn't kicked in – couldn't resist kissing Derek's nose, making him wrinkle it in offence. Again, shouldn't have been cute, but it was.

"The guys I shared a room with saw my neck." I replied. "Your bite marks haven't even begun to die down yet. Seriously, some of the comments they made..."

I stopped as I felt Derek tense up and start to growl slightly, wrapping his arms tightly around me.

I couldn't help but laugh a little and roll my eyes.

"Calm it, Sourwolf. I handled myself." I told him. "Let's just say they're worried you'll do some bodily damage if I ever point them out to you. And, yes, they know what you look like. Hey, what time's it?"

It said a lot that Derek didn't even bat an eyelid at my switch in topic. I was pretty sure Scott got some kind of mental whiplash – _still_ – and he'd been experiencing it a lot longer than Derek...

_Probably a Mate thing._

"Just after midday." Derek replied, dragging me onto him even more. "You didn't sleep well while you were gone either?"

"No. It was horrible." I muttered, burying myself further under the covers and into Derek. "Never again."

"I'll agree to that."

* * *

It was a few hours later that I remembered.

Derek and I had decided this Saturday would be another one spent not leaving the bed unless the need was absolutely necessary, so we were both lying there, just talking.

Of course, it would be while I was in the middle of saying something that I remembered.

"You called me ' _Gen_ '." I said. "In your texts, you called me ' _Gen_ '."

"Yes?" Derek replied, sounding unsure of himself for once.

"No one's ever called me Gen..."

"I'll stop, if..."

"I didn't say I didn't like it."

He looked as if wires in his brain crossed, or like a kid did when he couldn't figure out how someone ' _got their nose_ '. I saw that look _a lot_ on the faces of my younger cousins and some of the younger kids that were in the hospital around the same time as my mom.

For some reason, I always loved that look.

It was, pretty much, one of _the most_ innocent expressions. _Ever_! It was one of the only things that kept me – at the age of ten – smiling, when my mom was ill and was in the hospital.

On Derek, it was just another thing that looked adorable doing...

"Just because no one's ever called me that before, doesn't mean I don't like it..." I said. "You're the only person that tried that nickname."

"So... I _can_ call you Gen?" Derek asked, voice uncharacteristically uncertain.

"Obviously, Der."

I may or may not have done an internal happy dance after seeing him visibly relax and grin.

I was a fucking Sourwolf Whisperer!

* * *

It was weird how... _normal_ everything was.

I mean, with Derek, now, it felt as if my life had gone back to a time _before_ I knew about werewolves and stuff – only, this time, I had a smoking hot, could be model, as a boyfriend.

I was _extremely_ strange.

But, in a good way, you know?

I _liked_ this kind of strange.

It hurt _so much less_ than the monster kind of strange that I was, now, used to around Beacon Hills.

Another thing that was strange – Derek was a _serious_ cuddler!

You wouldn't think it, not looking at him, but he _seriously_ loved to snuggle and nuzzle. Sure, I liked it too, but I thought it would be just me and Derek would get annoyed by it.

Nope.

He was just as enthusiastic.

 _Hell_ , Derek had started the cuddling! Always making sure I was practically sitting on him whenever we sat on the couch or something, making sure an arm was always around me... It was those little things to start with until, three months into our relationship, he just dragged me into a full on cuddle fest on the couch at his house, while we had a group movie day.

But, hey, not complaining.

I had nothing to complain about.

Well, apart from the fact I had missed out on this for _five days!_


	34. February to July

**Stiles**

The rest of January and February to July 24th (Isaac's birthday) went by in a blink of an eye.

We got through: Valentines Day, my mom's birthday, Boyd's birthday, me forcing Derek to watch (and get hooked on) _Supernatural_ , Danny's birthday, Jackson's birthday, Isaac and I forcing the _whole_ Pack to watch and get hooked on Supernatural, and Isaac's birthday, _as well as_ facing _at least_ twenty seven different big bads.

The most recent big bad had turned up _three days_ (July 28th) before we were going to New York... It was, now, two hours before our flight and we had only _just_ finished dealing with a _fucking witch_.

Sure, we reached the airport on before our flight... _TEN MINUTES BEFORE!_

Seriously, just our luck!

"At least we didn't miss the plane." I commented as we sat down.

We were travelling first class, I had insisted – since Derek really didn't like other people – and no one really wanted to disagree.

Jackson, Danny and Lydia had literally guilt tripped their parents into paying to practically buy out first class for the ten of us... We should have felt bad, but some of the things the three of them told us about their parents – or adoptive parents in Jackson's case – made us _really not care_ that we had exploited their money.

First class wasn't too small, but it had enough seats and space for twenty people. Like this, we'd be able to talk freely about wolf stuff without much fear of anyone overhearing. It also meant, our seats were _a lot_ comfier to sleep in!

Of course, when you had an Alpha wolf to sleep against, it was _instantly_ made better!

So we all spent the flight sleeping.

* * *

 _That's_ how tired we were.

We only woke up because Derek's hearing had heard the pilot – or whoever – say we were going to be landing soon.

I could _feel_ the excitement coming off of him. He was grinning and fidgety... He was basically me when I had found/done something awesome.

Even though I was tired, I couldn't help but stay awake and watch him. I mean, would I ever get another chance to watch this? If I did, it wouldn't be for a long time, so there was no way I was missing it this time.

"You're such a puppy." I chuckled, burying my head into his neck. "Be like this more often."

"And risk my reputation? No way." Derek muttered, grinning into my hair.

"What reputation? People already know you ' _wuv hugs_ '."

"That's _Dean Winchester_ , not me."

"What's the difference?"

A small huff was all I got in the way of laughter.

I mean, even though he was excited, Derek was still as tired as the rest of us, refusing to sleep until the witch was dealt with.

Shifting until I could lean on Derek with my right arm – comfortably – out from underneath me, I reached to run my fingers through his hair. Derek subconsciously leaned into the touch, a low and happy growl emitting from him.

* * *

It was, around, eleven in the evening when we turned up at the hotel.

As soon as I – since I had made the reservations – had checked us all in and collected our keys, everyone was off to the top floor of the building and heading off to our rooms. Everyone was far too tired to stay up any longer.

So, when the door to our room was closed, Derek and I changed quickly, went through our usual routines, before settling down in the large double bed that was placed in the middle of the room.

However, as soon as we lay down, I couldn't seem to find it in myself to close my eyes and go to sleep.

"Laura and I stayed here... Before we found an apartment." Derek said, quietly. "It's a nice place. The staff are good people. Helped Laura keep an eye on me."

Shifting slightly so I could look at Sourwolf, I lifted my head up slightly.

He was staring up at the ceiling, one arm under his head while the other was around me. He looked...distant. Like my dad did when he spoke about my mom. I knew better than to say anything, knowing from experience that he would just clam up.

So I just lay there, waiting.

"I was... _a handful_ , back then. Too wrapped up in myself to remember that they were Laura's family too. But she still let me act like a little brat." Derek continued. "When she went out – too find work, I guess – she asked the hotel staff to keep an eye on me, always the same ones. They were nice people, helped me through a bad time...made me realise that I was being a selfish bastard. Laura was surprised when she came back one day and I hugged her, apologising."

Like on the plane, I shifted so I could run my right hand through his hair while staying in a comfortable position...

I didn't want to interrupt...I mean, this a new part to the story entirely...

And, yeah, even though it was hard, I stayed quiet.

"She cried. A lot. We talked. I told her everything. I didn't want to keep anything from her." Derek mumbled. "She tried to convince me it wasn't my fault. Did that all the way up until leaving for Beacon Hills..."

I felt the way Derek slightly tensed up as he carried on.

We may have been together for nine months and four days – _I know!_ – and he may have told me a lot already, but there was still a lot unsaid. However, I wouldn't force Derek to continue speaking when I _knew_ he wanted to stop.

Which was why, as he opened his mouth to speak again, I kissed him to shut him up.

Derek knew that was my method, because it was his as well; neither of us protested when the other did this.

It showed that we understood and that the other didn't have to keep talking. They had said enough and, if they wanted, could continue on a different day.

"Love you, Der." I grinned.

"Love you too, Gen." Derek smiled, tugging me back down to the bed.

Suffice to say, it was easier to get to sleep now.


	35. A Friend in NYC

**Stiles**

For the first few days, we saw as many sights as we possibly could.

Like, we literally _ran_ around the city, taking as many pictures as we could and buying as many things as possible.

I think quite a few people wanted to strangle us at points...

Of course, then it was our twenty fifth day in NYC – the day before my birthday.

We had seen pretty much everything we had wanted to, now just taking the time to walk around and enjoy our time in the city. And I definitely knew I wasn't the only one comparing it to home.

"We should make this a Pack thing." Erica grinned, as we sat down in Central Park. "We should come to New York once a year."

"Pack Holiday." Boyd nodded, smiling slightly.

With the way everyone grinned at each other, I guess it was obvious that that would be happening from now on... The small smile Derek gave was more than enough to convince me that it needed to happen, too.

It was just as I threw my backpack to the ground, about to just throw myself down onto the grass, that I was tackled to the side.

The air left my lungs as soon as whoever it was first collided with me, but then it was even harder to breath as soon as my back impacted with the ground.

It took me only a moment to figure out who it was. I mean, the Pack was sitting down, we were in NYC and this person just _tackled_ me. There was only _one_ person I knew that would do _that_!

"Liam Campbell, you asshole!" I grinned, punching him lightly in the arm.

Liam – known him my whole life, New Yorker, now twenty four, blonde, violet eyed, pretty much exactly like me but without the ADHD and is actually liked by _everyone_.

"Hey, G-Man!" Liam beamed, jumping up before offering a hand to me and pulling me up off of the grass.

As soon as we were standing, Liam and I moved at the same time, throwing our arms around each other – albeit a bit dramatically.

"God, it's been _way_ too long, kiddo." Liam chuckled. "Last time I saw you, you were twelve and tiny!"

"Shut up, Asshat." I laughed. "How are you? How are the others? How's _Fay_?! Oh my God, I haven't seen Fay in _so long_! How is my little Princess?!"

"I'm good. They're good. She's good. All of us have been missing you like crazy!"

"How do you think I felt?! I had _one_ friend left after you guys left!"

"Well, it looks like you've done alright since then."

"This is pretty much a _new_ thing! Back in September they _hated_ each other!"

"You were always good at fixing things, G."

It wasn't that I forgot that the Pack were there. It was more I was too caught up in the fact that one of my _best_ friends was standing in front of me after _six_ years!

As Liam looked over at the group with a friendly smile, I noticed the flicker of recognition when he spotted Derek. I guess it completely slipped my mind that Derek said he knew him...

* * *

While Liam introduced himself to the group – obviously they loved him – and got to know everyone, I noticed that Derek was...tenser than he had been in a while. It was...quite unnerving.

"Wait, so you're a werewolf too?!" Isaac asked, quietly, amazed.

"Of course." Liam grinned.

"He's the reason I knew a bit about werewolves before Scott was bit." I laughed. "Liam, Noah, Jessie, Gray, Christa, Johnny, Tiana, Cayden, Susannah and Tyson all told me what they were right before they left Beacon Hills. Some things that you can't find in the books or online I've been asking Liam."

"Alright..." Lydia nodded, eyes narrowed. "Who's ' _Fay_ '?"

"My little sister." Liam beamed. "She's nine now; like me, she's always seen Stiles as a brother."

Leaning to my right – into Liam – I noticed Derek tense up further, his eyes hardening. He was fighting off a growl, he was fighting off the ' _Alpha eyes_ ', it was obvious.

But why?

Liam wasn't a threat.

Hell, he was _friends_ with Liam too!

What was wrong with him?

* * *

Liam had to answer quite a few questions from the Pack – ones about me, obviously. Of course, Liam was _more_ than happy to answer each and every one, the asshole. But it wasn't like I couldn't get my own back. I mean, I _had_ known him all my life.

But I noticed that, with each question answered, Derek seemed to get a little more agitated.

And this had to be the time that _Liam_ noticed.

"Hey, Liam, come give me a hand, will ya?" I muttered, dragging him up and away before he could reply.

I dragged him across the park until the Pack were out of sight and out of hearing range – it took a while for me to figure out how far you had to be from a werewolf to be able to talk without them hearing.

Of course, I dragged him a little further, just to make sure.

"Genim, what the hell, dude?" Liam asked, bemused.

I said nothing until we were far enough away for my liking.

"Ok, you have wolfy powers. What's wrong with my Derek?" I demanded.

" _You're_ Derek?" Liam chuckled.

"Oh, don't act like you didn't notice! He's to me what Noah is to you, now answer my question! What's wrong with him?!"

Liam took a moment to calm himself down – the part about Noah, which was true, _really_ sobering him up.

That's when he started describing what I had read in one of those books.

That's when he reminded me what I had forgotten – the word I needed to use when Derek went all possessive Alpha before I left for Dallas.

That's when he laid out, pretty much, what was wrong with Sourwolf.

"He's _jealous_?!" I shrieked. "Oh, _stupid_ Sourwolf!"

"It makes sense to werewolves, dude." Liam shrugged. "It's...hardwired into those born to it and drilled into those bitten."

"Should I expect to be attacked tonight?"

"Oh, yeah. But I don't think you'll be complaining."


	36. Finally

**Stiles**

That night, back in the hotel, Derek was still a bit tense. He moved stiffly and wouldn't really make eye contact.

It was, around, eleven that night though that I decided enough was enough – it _was_ an hour till my birthday, after all.

"Derek, stop being jealous of Liam!" I groaned, face planting the bed. "He is my _friend_. No, lie, he is my _brother_! No threat! And don't lie and say you're not, because you are. Liam even helped me out with figuring out what the hell was wrong with you."

All that got me was a growl.

Flipping over onto my back, I grabbed Derek's hand before he managed to storm off.

"Derek." I sighed.

"I don't like it." he muttered.

"Don't like what?"

"How well he knows you."

And I stopped.

And I stared.

Slowly, I sat up, still keeping a tight hold of Derek's hand, even though he could easily get out of my grip.

"You're jealous that he knows more about me than you do?" I asked, cocking my head to the side.

Amazingly, I saw a soft pink flush cover Derek's face. That, in itself, was _wow_...

Standing up myself, keeping hold of his hand, I walked in front of Derek, grinning slightly.

" _You_ are a _very_ silly Sourwolf." I beamed, reaching up to tangle my right hand in his hair, dragging his head down to press our lips together.

Of course, that's when my back hit the wall.

All I could do was moan appreciatively – and embarrassingly – while his tongue was shoved into my mouth, and we had nothing but our boxers on – _when did_ that _happen?!_

And I _really_ couldn't help the surprised – and, again, embarrassing – gasp that I made when my back connected, _gently_ , with the wall between his door and wardrobe. I will admit, my back had been missing the wall, but I think this was a much better use for it than what Derek used it for previously.

It was even better when I was no longer touching the ground, but had both arms and legs around Derek as he held me up between himself and the wall, never breaking the kiss.

Derek lowered his head to the meeting of my neck and shoulder, his lips brushing over the skin there lightly, barely even touching. So lightly that I barely felt it. But then he started to put more pressure on the spot, pressing harder after a short amount of time.

It wasn't long before the gentle swipes stopped on one spot, his mouth opening to suck on the area. It was moments like this that I was glad no one from the Pack was around, especially with the sounds I was unwillingly making. But that only seemed to drive Derek on, since human teeth were soon brought in to play...and tongue...

I could do nothing but hold on to his hair tighter, pulling him closer and lean my head back against the wall, as I ended up curving slightly into him, arching off of it.

I couldn't help the whine after the spot on my neck became too sensitive to bear. Derek, noticing this, just dragged his tongue up my neck, slowly – it really shouldn't have been as much of a turn on as it was – biting the lobe of my ear as he came to it, before gently running the tip of it over the shell.

I would never admit that any of this had me shivering all the time, the pleasure rolling down my spine in waves... But it wasn't like I could hide it from Derek, who was grinning wolfishly – pun intended – against my jaw.

Nosing his way down my neck, Derek stopped just above the first mark he made.

Yeah, I was _extremely_ glad no one else was around!

Derek shuffled closer, pressing me further into the wall as his hands tightened – _ok, when did they get to my ass?!_ So, really, it wasn't my fault that my hips kind of snapped forward, causing a low growl to come from the wolf holding me up.

I couldn't help but smirking.

And, come on, who I was I to pass up on an opportunity to abuse this position? So, while Derek was so fixated on my neck, I thought I'd have a bit of fun myself – it was only fair – by continuously rolling my hips into his.

The whimpers the Big Bad Alpha Wolf made was _gold_!

Everything around me was melting away, forgetting everything but this. Forgetting everything, but Derek.

I could feel the bulge in his boxers even more as we were pressed impossibly closer, the small amount of breath that I had left leaving me at that moment. I only just noted the noise – sounding like a (pathetic) broken whimper – which only served to make Derek grin and double his efforts.

That ended up being moving to a different spot on my neck, worrying the skin between his teeth softly, running his tongue over it too, while pressing closer still and slowly rocking back and forth. My breath caught in my throat, now no longer being able to actually think of a coherent thought, other that random syllables or one word sentences.

* * *

**Derek**

Looking at Stiles now: shirt off, panting, lips red, face flushed a most appealing shade of red, hair a mess... At this moment, I was glad that I had thought to... _stock up_ , for this certain exchange.

But I wasn't even thinking of that right now.

No.

I could think of one word and one word only. One word that I couldn't help but say.

" _Mine."_

I thought I had said it quiet enough that Stiles wouldn't have picked up on it, but the cheeky, goofy grin was back as he whispered back ' _Yours_ ' into my ear. The word quiet and his breath warm as it drifted over my ear.

At that moment, you couldn't blame me for ripping him away from the wall and just chucking him into the middle of my very spacious bed.

Maybe I should have mentioned how we werewolves can get quite possessive... Especially once a claim was responded to.

* * *

**Stiles**

I landed in the middle of the bed with an ' _oof_ ', only just being able to collect myself before Derek was hovering over me, hands either side of my head. Dark brown – almost black – hair sticking up at all angles, faded-forest-green-flashing-red eyes almost complete consumed by dilated pupils, face flushed... This is not something that everyone got to see, to be quite honest I'm not sure myself how many have, and quite frankly I didn't care. All I could care about was the fact that, right now, I was the one seeing it.

I was the _only_ one who got to see it.

With a slightly feral sound, Derek lunged forward, pressing his lips roughly against mine again and again, pushing and pulling, biting and sucking and licking. It was a shock of a contrast to the softness of his skin, despite the fact that he's a werewolf.

Not that I minded, it would be stupid if I was complaining...then I really _would_ be an idiot.

For the second time, Derek started thrusting, back and forth, but this time able to grind his hips down, softly at first but getting a lot more forceful every time.

I couldn't help the movements my own hips made, rolling them up just to ease the pressure.

That was when I practically felt my boxers ripped from me, looking up in time to see Derek throw two pieces of material over the side of his bed.

 _And now we're naked! Thank_ fuck _for that!_

I heard this sort of growl, before Derek continued what he was doing before all clothes had disappeared. But the feel of his muscles and bare skin against me was enough to make me forget any embarrassment and make any blood flooding my face rush downwards.

That just so happened to be the same direction Derek had started heading, as he slowly lowered himself down my body, pressing his lips and tongue to wherever he could reach, flicking his tongue over my nipples, running his tongue down my chest, sucking bruises into my torso, biting both of my hips.

He only stopped once he reached a certain area.

* * *

**Derek**

Chuckling quietly, as I took note of Stiles' wide eyed and lustful expression, I bent my head further forwards, licking the tip of his swollen dick. The moan that I received from it just encouraged me to carry on, taking the whole thing into my mouth in one go. The startled choke made me chuckle again, the vibrations causing him to moan again.

_This was going to be better than I thought._

Not wasting any more time, I bobbed my head up and down slowly, my hands pushing Stiles' hips down in the mattress. Not that that stopped him from trying to get out of my grip, to try and get some more speed to reach that much needed release.

A quiet whine made me glance up; catching a glimpse of the pleading look in Stiles' eyes and feeling the way fingers had tightened in my hair yet again. I almost pulled off, just so I could hear another one of those little sounds, but even I couldn't be so cruel.

Who was I deny my _loyal_ Mate of this? So, keeping the same technique, I quickened the pace, humming when Stiles hit the back of my throat. It was only moments later that he was crying out his release, back arching and eyes clenching shut.

As he started coming down from the high, I swallowed what was left in my mouth and moved higher, returning my lips and teeth to his neck. Only when I felt Stiles shift underneath me, as I licked over an already forming bruise from earlier, did I then remember my own situation.

Pulling back to look at him in the eyes, I conveyed a question to Stiles that I desperately needed the answer to: _was he sure?_

A small smile and a slight nod was all I needed, seeing nothing but trust and truth in the eyes that had been overtaken by black pools.

Gently, this time, I kissed Stiles. Never would I ever get tired of doing such a thing.

While he was distracted, I reached out blindly for the tube that sat on the table beside me, blindly flicking the lid of the tube up and gathering some of the liquid onto my fingers and hand.

Before I could even think about what I was doing, I already had two fingers buried deep into the man below me, watching as he arched off of the bed with a pain filled scream, head thrown back.

Biting at his neck again, I tried to distract Stiles from the pain as I moved both fingers in and out, stretching him.

Like I said werewolves can get quite possessive, especially once a claim was responded to. And they got a bit more... _aggressive_. Usually, wolves would wait until their Mates were _used_ to sex until they went to claim them... But I just couldn't help it...

So, instead of how I wanted this to go, taking it slow for _Stiles_ , I had just kind of jumped right into the ' _claim Mate_ ' side of this.

Quickly adding a third, I heard a shaky yelp. For a moment, I thought I did something wrong, taking things a bit too face. Until I realised what I had hit within my Mate.

Smirking, and keeping my fingers angled the same way, I tested the waters by prodding the same area again. The small broken sound leaving him again only proved that I was correct, I had found that ' _magical little spot_ ', as Stiles kept referring to it as – jokingly, of course... At least I wasn't hurting him anymore...

And who was I to turn down such an opportunity? So, yes, I _may_ have abused this just a little, not letting up until Stiles had reached his high for the second time.

Before he even had time to collect himself again, I was already pulling my fingers out of my Mate, lubing myself up and thrusting in all the way, keeping still as Stiles screamed. I stayed still, belatedly realising that _maybe_ I should have been a bit slower...

But after the claim was responded to, a werewolf's more... _animalistic_ instincts were closer to the surface. One of those instincts being: _mate_.

However, a good thing about being a werewolf? I could take the pain away.

So, running my hands up and down Stiles' sides, brushing his neck lightly with my lips, I let any pain he was feeling flow out of him.

As more and more of the pain flowed out of him, the scent of my Mate's arousal grew. That mixed with his, _already_ , alluring scent, pretty much threw any rational thought out of my head... But focusing on my Mate held me back from doing anything I would regret later.

It wasn't long before Stiles started to move against me impatiently, gingerly thrusting down to get me to start moving. The friction of the tight walls pulled a semi-embarrassing noise from me, one that I would _adamantly_ refuse if brought up later.

But that didn't stop me from keeping a hold of Stiles' hips as I started to pull out slowly and thrust back in with the same speed and strength.

I would never have thought that I would be doing _this_ with the hyperactive kid I met back in the woods... To be honest, I wanted to kill most times, when we first new each other... But then he was just always there and I couldn't get rid of him. I realised I needed him... And then I started to get to know him.

Started to notice him.

I thought for sure nothing could happen, even after I realised he was my Mate...

I couldn't help but be happy that I was so very, _very_ wrong about that. Otherwise we wouldn't be here now. I wouldn't have had the opportunity to pin him down and thrust into his tight ass over and over and over.

Stiles had kept his fingers entwined in my hair for the whole of this encounter.

Until now.

He unlaced his hands from my hair, slowly dragging them down my head, over the top of my back; across my shoulders...until he got a good grip on my biceps to flip us so he was still impaled on my cock while _I_ was underneath _him_.

I couldn't help but stare, surprised at the sudden boldness. Even more surprised when his nimble hands slid to the muscles on my chest, tracing them before finding a good enough grip before lifting himself up, only to drop back down forcefully.

I couldn't help but think of how beautiful the eighteen year old looked like this, even as my mind turned to mush due to what I was seeing and feeling.

My grip on his hips never faltered, only giving me the chance to aid in lifting Stiles up before slamming him back down, thrusting up every other time.

Sighs, moans and pants came from the body above me, his head falling back slightly, his neck bared. The closer Stiles got, the louder the sounds were, and the move his back curved and exposed his throat.

So, with a small growl, I launched forward until I was sitting up – Stiles still on my lap – and could attach my mouth to the pale neck in front of me, licking and biting the side, trailing down onto the top of his chest, flicking my tongue over his nipples.

Stiles' right hand slipped back into my hair, pressing me forward instead of pulling me back a little like he used to, while his left held on to the side of my neck.

Slowly, I let my left hand trail from his hip up his spine, making him shudder all over, causing his grip to tighten as I smirked into his neck, nipping it lightly.

Our rhythm broke once Stiles' breath came out in ragged pants and his muscles started to strain. At that point, I flipped us again so he was back on the bottom.

Tightening my grip on his hips, I quickened the pace, short thrusts only, changing angles until I hit his prostate dead on.

Aiming for there and there alone, I continued to pump into _my_ Stiles, bringing him closer and closer to the edge, until whiskey brown eyes opened wide, his back arched and his other hand found its way into my hair again as he let out a loud moan.

With Stiles reaching his high for the third time, he tightened almost painfully around me, giving me that extra kick I needed. With a howl, I launched myself to my left, biting down _hard_ where his neck met shoulder.

Both of us seemed to just pass out once it was all said and done, but not before I had the chance to pull out and drop to the left of Stiles, grabbing a few tissues from the table beside me to get rid of the sticky mess, before I turned us both on to our left sides so I could drape my arm across my Mate and bring him back until he was pressed tightly against my chest, while Stiles dragged the duvet over us.

* * *

**Stiles**

It was, around, a half hour later that I managed to get my limbs to work again, turning around and burying my head into the muscled chest in front of me, smiling lazily, after I caught a glimpse of the time on the clock..

"Happy birthday to me." I whispered, chuckling slightly, wincing a little as I moved around.

"Sorry." Derek muttered into my hair, placing a hand on my lower back and leeching the pain away. "I didn't mean to..."

"I know. Besides, I knew what would happen if I ' _responded_ '."

And I did.

That's what I had read about in one of the books Derek had given me, and that Liam helped me remember. About what happens when the Mate of a werewolf accepts and responds to the ' _claim_ ', as they called it.

It was pretty much a werewolf being all possessive and their Mate agreeing with it all.

That's the gist of things.

I knew this was going to happen, and I knew it would be harder for Derek to control himself. If he had been a Beta, he would have had more control, but because he was an Alpha...not so much.

Besides, it also mentioned the biting bit... It was a bit to signify the claim; it wouldn't change any human into a werewolf, so I was still the same old human.

"You're lucky I love you." Derek breathed, kissing the top of my head.

I grinned, my hands sliding up from his stomach to his chest, as I moved my head back to look at him.

"I can't believe you were jealous of Liam." I giggled.

"Shut up." Derek muttered.

"It's kind of adorable."

"Shut up."

Laughing a little, I did just that.

"I think this is the first time you've obeyed." Derek teased.

Fighting a grin, I schooled my features to match the tone of what I was going to say next. Making my eyes as wide as I could, trying to look innocent, I looked up at him through my eyelashes.

"Do I get a reward for that?" I asked, feigning a coy tone.

"Depends. What do you want?"

Grinning impishly, I let my right hand reach up to Derek's hair as my left trailed down his chest, gripping his dick and stroking it gently, revelling in the quite moan and full body shudder Derek gave.

"I think you already know the answer to that." I winked.

With a small growl and a slight flash of red eyes, the hand on the back of my neck trailed down my back, right along my spine, Goosebumps rising as the hand carried on, pulling me even closer as it did.

"You know, I think I do." Derek whispered, as he mouthed at my neck like earlier.

I couldn't help the gasp as one of Derek's fingers slipped into my ass again, this time with all the pleasure and none of the pain, as Derek made sure to get rid of that from the start.

I couldn't help but nip at the side of Derek's neck as he did so, earning a surprised yelp and a harsh bite in return. But that only seemed to arouse _little Stiles_ more. And Derek seemed to notice that, if the way he was biting the hell out of my neck was any indication.

* * *

When it came to the Pack – _my Pack_ –, I would say that we all made sure that everyone was included and cared for. We all made sure that any accomplishments made by the Pack – especially those of the wolves – were rewarded and properly acknowledged...

Of course it wasn't always like that.

There was a time before the Pack was as awesome as it was now – though still quite awesome – where it was up to me and me alone to make sure the wolves got the praise they deserved.

Don't get me wrong, I liked doing it; I was glad that I got to be the one to say ' _congratulations_ '.

It just wasn't fair on them.

But that was all behind us now. Now we were a proper Pack; a proper family.

That, for me, was reward enough.

Finally having somewhere I fit in, finally having a _proper_ family.

At this moment, what more could I ask for?


	37. Epilogue Part 1: Wedding Bells

**Stiles**

Monday, June 20th 2016.

Who would have thought it, huh?

We decided to actually _have_ the wedding at the house. It was the first place we met. It was the place we had the majority of our good Packmemories...

Sighing a little, I kept redoing my tie, over and over again. It was red – of course. But people thought it was my little joke of being 'Little Red' with 'the Big Bad Wolf'. Now, while it was _a little bit_ because of that, it was also because, well, Derek being the Alpha. I didn't actually tell anyone about it, but I knew Derek would understand.

Sounds stupid, huh?

"Stiles, stop fussing with that damn tie!" dad sighed as he walked into the spare room I was using – Derek had our room. "It looks _fine_ , son."

"Hey, I'm nervous alright." I replied. "I just wanna get this started, I don't like waiting."

"Tough titties." Gabriel – my uncle from my mom's side – said plainly as he walked in with his brother Leo.

Turning around to look at them, I couldn't help but grin.

"Don't you mean ' _tough dickies_ '." I laughed.

"So you're nervous, but you can still make jokes?" Leo moaned. "We are doomed."

I just laughed, some of my nerves disappearing.

* * *

**Derek**

I hadn't meant to do it.

It wasn't on purpose.

Scott, Jackson, Isaac and Boyd all but forced me to sit down, while Melissa and Deaton were trying all sorts of things to get me to calm down.

Honestly? I couldn't hear a word they were saying over my own heartbeat.

And then I was slapped in the face.

Everyone went silent.

Everything went still.

Everyone turned to Allison.

"Derek, _pull yourself together_! You're an Alpha, not a mouse. How do you think Stiles is feeling at the moment?" Allison glared, arms folded. "He's probably ten times as nervous as you, but he's not ripping things to shreds. _NO_! He's trying to stay calm and _not_ run around the house to burn off his extra energy! Now, calm down, _before_ I get John in here to knock some sense into you."

Taking in a deep breath, I sat up straighter and nodded.

She was right.

I was the _mother fucking Alpha_ , not a mouse.

But, for some reason, my nerves just wouldn't die down.

I didn't know what was wrong with me...

"You're not getting cold feet, are you?" Chris – who had just entered the room – asked.

I only growled at him.

Why would I be getting ' _cold feet_ '? I was surer about this than I was about _anything_ in my life.

The hunter – more like ex-hunter in his old age – held his hands up in surrender, smiling ever so slightly... I didn't think I would _ever_ get used to this... _friendly_ side of Christ Argent.

"Are you done _shredding_ your tie now?" Lydia sighed. "Damn, it was a good thing Stiles told us to get more than the one for you."

 _Stiles... Know_ there's _something that makes me calm..._

* * *

**Stiles**

Looking at everything...I couldn't help but be amazed.

I mean, sure, I knew what it was going to look like, but... _wow_!

Allison, Erica and Lydia – self appointed bridesmaids, who refused to be called anything else – stood on, what I would call, ' _my side_ ' in knee length, lavender – _not_ purple, Lydia was _very_ clear on that – strapless dresses with dark purple sashes around their waists. I had let the girls decide on everything else they did to themselves, thinking it better to do it that way than feel the wrath of the three ladies.

The guys – Scott and Liam on ' _my side_ ', the other four on Derek's wore normal suits, with a powder blue waistcoats and dark blue ties.

Sure, the purple and blue had nothing to do with the ' _colour scheme_ ' that Lydia all but _forced_ Derek and I to decide on – of course, I've been thinking about these kinds of things for a while now...and, apparently, I used to tell my mom about my ideas, so Derek just went with everything I had told him – _he found out a few years ago after_ demanding _to know everything about me._

That was why the ' _colour scheme_ ' was white and red.

Outside the house the trees that Derek had destroyed the day before – don't ask – came to good use, the trunks easily being turned into seating for those that we had invited – my idea obviously.

The three girls had decorated the outside of the house – trees and cars included – after getting mine and Derek's decisions on everything that was going to be used. A mix of white and red bench ribbons and a red carpet with white rose petals, white and red ceiling ribbons hanging from the trees. Plus, the girls added a few ideas of their own, like fairy lights – among other things.

Smiling, I looked back at Derek.

I never knew what colour tie he had, but I had to admit that green worked _really_ well for him.

I should have guessed, honestly. I mean, it's not like I kept the fact I liked seeing Derek in green a secret. Or red. Or black. Or white. Or, most colours, actually. Preferably nothing, but that was meant for my eyes only.

But, hey, he looked good in a suit.

* * *

Pictures were taken outside of the house as well as in _our_ field, where the rest of the day was being spent.

The field was decorated similarly to the outside of the house, thanks to the girls and their awesomeness.

From the moment everyone was in the field, mingling and dancing, _so many people_ came up to hug or congratulate us. I'm pretty sure some of them came back more than once, just for the hell of it!

Uncle Gabriel was one of those people – loveable bastard that he was.

But it was more funny than it was annoying... For now, anyway.

"If he's not careful, Gabe's going to get a face full of my fist." Derek muttered, dragging me closer to him.

"He's a cop, idiot. It'll hurt me and you more than him in the end, if you do." I chuckled. "Just ignore him, Der."

"For you, I will."

"Love you too, Sourwolf."

It wasn't long after that that Lydia forced us onto the designated ' _dance floor_ ', saying that we can't leave the first dance forever.

Our first dance was to I Won't Give Up by Jason Mraz. It was just the two of us on the dance floor, arms around each other, heads on each other's shoulders.

"I love you, Der." I whispered in my husband's ear.

"I love you too, Gen." Derek whispered back.

* * *

Later that night – and I mean _way_ later – Derek and I stood outside the hotel we had booked for our Honeymoon, suitcases gripped in one hand, the other holding each others.

Paphos, Cyprus was our destination choice which was, funnily enough, the place where both our parents went on _their_ Honeymoons'.

Of course, neither of us knew that until _after_ we booked the hotel and my dad told us where him and mum went – at first, we thought it was only Derek's parents.

But, in a way, I guess that a good thing.

So, now, we were standing outside of the hotel at, around, eight in the morning in Paphos – since it was nine hours later than California.

The Louis Ledra Beach Hotel – where we were staying – was a large, white building. The lights outside was just enough for me to see the building and the blue letters on top of it, signalling which hotel it was. The name was engraved on this little porch type thing that covered the stairs and ramp up to the doors of the hotel, almost gold/silver. It looked rather nice.

But the inside was better.

When you walked through the doors there was a bar to your left, reception to the right, seating areas spread out, a stair case and outside seating area on the other side, a small shop near the reception desk and an elevator. There were different mosaics on the walls, and it was all lit up by a soft light.

Since it was so early, no one was really around – most being out or still asleep –, and drinks and food had been laid out for those of us arriving now.

While I stood there and looked around, Derek went over to the front desk, checking us in. I left my suitcase where it was by Derek, walking to the outside seating area. In the early morning sun, I could see the two outside swimming pools – one for eighteen's and over, one's for under – that was surrounded by a decking and sun loungers, and the beach not too far away. The air was warm, but it wasn't horrible. The heat was bearable and felt nice as I stood out there. As I stood there, I wondered what mom thought of this place. If she looked out on the same view as I was right now. If she liked it just as much as I was starting to right now. I closed my eyes as I leant against the railing, letting the small breeze just drift on past, making a small smile pull at the corners of my mouth. I was content to just stand there.

" _Stiles?"_ Derek's voice called.

I must have been standing outside for longer than I thought, since Derek was standing behind me with our: suitcases, wrist bands and door key – which also worked the lights.

I smiled at the man in front of me, casting one more look at the view we'd be seeing for the next few weeks, before walking over to him and hooking my arms around his neck.

This was going to be a lot of fun.

* * *

Derek and I did nothing by sleep until the next day – 7am on the 22nd June in Cyprus, 10pm on the 21st back in California.

As soon as 7 am hit, I sat up slowly, my eyes still heavy with sleep.

I stretched my locked muscles right before yawning, and resting my back against the pillows. I curled both of my hands into fists, rubbing at my eyes with the sides of my index fingers, and then rubbing my palms over my face too.

After a few minutes I let my arms drop, laying my hands on my stomach, linking my fingers together. I heard a faint click of the bathroom door unlocking. I opened my eyes, only to have them shut as I yawned again.

"I love when you do that." Derek chuckled, walking over to stand in front of my.

"Do what?" I asked, my voice hoarse from sleep, chucking the thin 'duvet back and swinging my legs over the side of the bed.

"Yawn like a puppy."

"I do _what_?!"

Never, in my whole life, had _anyone_ told me that.

Why was this the first I was hearing about it?!

"You've always done it, Gen." Derek grinned. "More when we were first going out, though."

Derek cupped my cheek and started to lean down.

A plan formed very quickly in my head since my brain was amazing and smart and stuff. He didn't realise I had moved away until he face planted the bed, and looked up to see me laughing, smirking as I closed the bathroom door.

I liked today already.

Downstairs was the restaurant. It was on the lowest level of the hotel, and was also the way to get to the indoor pool, outdoor pool and beach.

The restaurant was a load of tables with drink machines in a few places and food placed in these metal tray things to the far left. There was a lot of choice, which was nice, not many places gave you so much choice.

Plus, there was no limit on how much you could eat, thankfully, so Derek got stuck in.

My mind drifted to the room we had as we sat there, after filling our plates. One massive double bed, bathroom... It was nice, not too small, just big enough to keep all our stuff in and to, you know, sleep in. That was all we needed it for. Balconies were attached to the rooms too, allowing us to look over at the beach and the hotels next to the one we were in. It was a nice view, especially at night.

One of the best things about the hotel, though, was the wrist bands. The gold bands were for those eighteen and older, which meant the bar in the hotel could serve you alcohol. So, technically, it wasn't illegal for me to order a few at night.

I could _definitely_ see holidays to Cyprus in our future.

"I concur." Derek grinned.

"I didn't say anything." I said, frowning yet smiling a little as I looked up.

"You didn't have to."

Derek reached across the small table with his left hand, placing over my left too. Our wedding bands were a simple gold but, in the right light, you could see the hint of black, red, brown and green that was infused within it.

Thankfully, the light in the restaurant was hitting the bands in the right way, the different colours able to be seen.

The colours were my favourite part.

"Love you, Gen." Derek whispered.

"Love you too, Der." I whispered back.


	38. Epilogue Part 2: Reward - Friday, August 20th 2027

**Stiles**

Standing outside the house, I watched as all the kids ran around, chasing each other. I watched as Derek messed around with Tauriel, Oliver and Laura – our kids.

Yeah, I know.

Tauriel (Taurie) was ten, Oliver (Olly) was eight almost nine and Laura was seven almost eight. Laura wasn't even our youngest – that was Bayley. He was five... Bayley was the only one with blue eyes, the others having green or brown or a mixture of the two.

"PAPA!" Bayley yelled, running out of the house.

I didn't even have enough time to turn before he jumped onto my back, leaning forward enough that I could see his little face.

You know how people say that kids are either a 'daddy's girl' or a 'momma's boy'? Well – since it was 'daddy and papa' instead of 'mommy and daddy' – Bayley was the only one out of the four that was definitely a papa's boy.

"Hey, Bay-leaf. Having fun?" I chuckled, moving him around so I could actually hold and look at him properly.

"Grandpa John say he take me school in cruiser, on Monday!" he grinned, arms flailing slightly.

Bayley took after me the most – the flailing, the incessant talking... He was like me. I guess that would be one of the reasons why he – I suppose you could say – preferred me to Derek. Besides, Bayley had a very mild ADHD and looked more like me than the others..

But he was perfect; they all were.

"Sounds awesome, Buddy." I smiled, walking over to one of the picnic tables we had all placed outside, sitting down with Bayley sitting on the table in front of me. "Don't you want to go play with daddy? Your brother and sisters? Cousins? Aunts and uncles?"

Bayley just shook his head, scooting forward slightly until he could hug me again.

"I stay with you?" he asked quietly, still sliding forward until he landed in my lap.

"Yeah, you can stay with me, Bud." I nodded, wrapping my arms around him.

Moving him slightly, I got Bayley so he was sitting side ways, facing the others as they continued to chase around.

I still couldn't believe how many of us there were... I mean there was: Scott, Allison, Isaac, Danny, Jackson, Lydia, Boyd, Erica, Derek, me, my dad, Melissa, Chris... And that wasn't counting the kids!

Derek and I had: Tauriel Claudia Stilinski-Hale (Taurie), Oliver John Stilinski-Hale (Olly), Laura Talia Stilinski-Hale (Lor, Ra-Ra) and Bayley Cayden Stilinski-Hale (Bay-leaf, B).

Scott and Allison had: Henry Elijah McCall and Joanna-Beth McCall (Jo).

Jackson and Lydia had: Dawn Amelia Whittemore and Charlie Dean Whittemore (twins), and Tessa Rose Whittemore.

Danny and Isaac had: Leolani Hayden Mãhealani-Lahey (Leo) and Alana Grace Mãhealani-Lahey (Als, Lana).

Boyd and Erica had: Michael Jonah Boyd (Mike, Mikey), Cassandra Tegan Boyd (Cas, Cassie) and Simon Anthony Boyd (Si).

There were a lot of us, right?

But I wouldn't change it for anything. I loved each and every one of them. I mean, they were my family.

* * *

Bayley and I were still sitting at the picnic table, and I listened as my youngest son talked about, well, just about anything he could think of – definitely took after me.

I don't actually know how long we had actually been sat there, but I couldn't care. I was surrounded by the people I loved and they were all safe. That's all I needed to know.

Of course, as soon as arms went around my from behind and a chin was on the top my head it was instantly better.

"Daddy!" Bayley grinned, leaning back so he could see Derek.

"Hey, Champ." Derek chuckled, one of his hands reaching out to ruffle his black hair. "Bayley, why don't you go play with your brother and sisters."

That only made Bayley bury himself closer to me, hiding his face in my chest as his little fists curled into my t-shirt. There were a lot of times when he didn't want to leave my side... Some people thought it was separation anxiety or whatever...but it really wasn't.

Before Bayley, Derek and I had lost a child. Well, we thought we did. Apparently, when developing, Bayley combined with the one we thought we lost, which is how we thought he was more like me than the others.

Ever since he was born, he had always been quite attached to me...we couldn't really figure out why. But that was fine. I loved each one of my children, I loved my baby boy. I didn't care what people said.

The 'pregnancy' – if you could even call it that – was strange. With Derek and me – the same with Danny and Isaac –, however, it was a bit different. There was a spell and, well, it was all very confusing and hard to explain. But it worked.

And it turned out, you only had to do the spell once, and then it worked however many times you wanted it to or was supposed to or...something like that. And since werewolves had a _minimum_ of two kids, I should have seen it coming that we weren't stopping at Tauriel.

 _"Bayley, come play!"_ I heard Tauriel yell.

 _"Come on, baby bro!"_ Olly called.

 _"It's no fun without you!"_ Laura added.

I saw Bayley turn his head to the side, glancing at his siblings. But, like he usually did, he turned his head back to being hidden in my chest.

Sighing, I couldn't help but smile slightly.

"Hey, Buddy." I whispered, pulling and lifting him up slightly, kissing his forehead lightly. "How about I tell you an extra special story tonight if you go play? Sound good?"

"Any story?" he whispered back.

"Any story you want."

I swear, it was the fastest I had ever seen him move.

"Definitely your son." Derek chuckled, turning his nose into my hair, swaying slightly.

Rolling my eyes, I managed to get out of his hold so I could stand up and face him, wrapping my arms around his neck as I did so.

I still found it amazing how Derek and I had been married for eleven years and we had four adorable kids. We had our friends, we had our Pack, we had our family, we had each other.

There was nothing else we needed.

This, in itself, was reward enough.

**Author's Note:**

> Please review XD  
> Thanks XD


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